Copji-ife-hi;  1S92,  by  Chas.  D.  Sislky  &.  Son. 


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1. 1-BO.  28. 


Kef  YorL  lay  I  \m. 


Price  5  Cents. 


FARRAGUTS  SCOUT  RINGLETS ; 


oia. 


THE  BRAND  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPL 


By    CAL    DE    CASTRO. 


'VELL,  VOT  VOU  DO  ABOUDT  IT?''  "THIS  !"  CRIED  RINGLETS,  AS  HE  SPRANG  TO  HIS 
?EET  AND  GAVE  THE  OLD  MONEY  LENDER  A  VICIOUS  KICK  IN  THE  STOMACH. 


FARRAGUTS  SCOL'T. 


FARRAGIIT'S  SCOUT; 

— OR,— 

THE  BRAND  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 


BY  CAL.    DK   CASTRO. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A    DESPERATB   GAME. 

*l"\vo  young  men  sat  at  a  small  table  in 
a  uiagnificeiit,  yet  too  gaudily,  furnished 
room — the  "  private  "  parlor  of  one  of  tlie 
most  notorious  gambling  "hells"  in  the 
city  of  New  Orleans. 

One,  a  swarthj-,  dissipated,  white- 
handed  chap,  would  be  set  down  as  a 
professional  gambler  at  first  glance. 

Tlie  other  was  a  blonde,  with  clear-cut, 
hatidoome  features,  and  the  form  of  an 
athltjte. 

They  were  engaged  in  a  game  of  poker 
for  high  stakes,  as  could  be  seen  by  the 
glittering  lieap  of  gold  upon  the  table 
between  them,  and  the  innocent-appear- 
ing bits  of  pasteboard  in  their  hands. 

The  swarrhy  man  had  dealt  the  cards, 
each  had  drawn  one,  and  then  the  betting 
had  been  so  fast,  mad  and  reckless  that 
even  tlie  "old  timers"  of  the  place  had 
been  attracted  to  the  spot,  and  were  now 
crowded  about  the  table,  and  gazing  upon 
the  desperate  play  in  wonder. 

The  face  of  the  gambler  was  calm,  al- 
most indifferent,  while  that  of  his  hand- 
some'opponent  was  seen  to  be  slightly 
flushed,  while  a  strange,  warning  gleam 
shoue  in  his  eyes  as  he  raised  them  to  the 
other's  face  and  said,  as  he  drew  a  liand- 
I'ul  of  gold  iind  notes  from  his  pocket  and 
shoved  them  into  the  yellow  pile  between 
iliein: 

"There  is  your  fifty,  Diamond  Jack, 
and  1  go  you  five  hundred  better!" 

"Thank  you.  Ringlets,  for  the  favor,  as 
it  will  come  mighty  handy  after  the 
beastly  run  of  luck  1  liave  had  lately," 
returned  the  gambler,  cooily.  "But 
tliere  is  your  live  hundred,  with  an  even 
thousand  on  top  of  it!" 

"Very  well;  1  see  your  thousand,  but 
that  taps  my  pile,  and  I  call  you,"  and 
the  young  man's  face  took  on  an  added 
flush  of  excitement,  as  he  counted  the 
amount  out  upon  the  table. 

"  So  you  are  'busted'  are  you,  Ring- 
lets? Too  bad  that  you  haven't  enough 
to  make  the  pile  an  even  two  thousand. 
or " 

"  I  vill  lend  de  young  schentlpmans  de 
udder  tousand  tollars!"  interrupted  a 
voice  at  this  moment,  and  a  tall,  cadav- 
erous form,  clad  in  a  suit  of  seedy  black 
broadcloth,  pushed  its  way  through  the 


eager  crowd  to  the  table,  and  depo&rripf^ 
thereon  a  pile  of  gold. 

"  Sheeny,  the  money-lender!"  rac 
round  tlie  crowd,  wliile  Ringlets  crit.vl  in 
surprise: 

"Do  3'ou  mean  that.  Sheeny?  5?«.a  wijl 
lend  me  the  thousand?" 

"Yes,  yet'-,  i  lend  you  der  tousand  tol- 
lars mit  oudt  segurity,  but  I  gaU&  on  a^i 
de  schentlemans  present  do  wituess  dct 
j'ou  owes  me  de  monish.  Couje,  pet  de 
monish,  mine  scliild,  und  den  you  ba\  s 
me  right  pack  mit  it,  tor  I  vos  see  your 
gards,  und  I  pelieves  j-ou  vill  v.-in  him  I" 

"All  right  then.  Diamond  .Vack,  1  have 
seen  your  thousand,  and  will  go  you  an- 
other better!  But  remembet,  I  know  1 
have  J'OU  beat,  and  if  you  ttttempt  any 
crooked  work,  I  warn  you  lO  beware  of 
the  consequences,  for  I  am  a  desperate 
man  just  at  present,  and  it  is  make  or 
break  with  me  for  good  an^  all!"  and  he 
shoved  the  money-lender  ^  loan  into  the 
central  pile. 

The  gambler  gazed  into  the  other's 
face  searchingly,  then  a  oieadly.  desperate 
look  shot  into  his  hard,  dark  e\'es,  as  he 
slowly  and  deliberatfci/  "covered"  th6 
bet. 

"There  you  are.  Kinglets,  and  what 
have  you  got?"  asked  the  gambler. 

"Four  kings!"  anJ  the  blonde  laid 
his  cards  down,  face  upward,  upon  the 
table,  leaned  back  iu  his  chair,  and  thrust 
his  hands  into  the  jide  pockets  of  his 
coat. 

"  A  good  hand,  and  a  hard  one  to  beat 
ordinarilj',  but  you  see  I  hold  the  four 
aces!"  replied  the  gu-mbler,  as  he  threw 
down  his  cards  and.  reached'  for  the  heap 
of  gold. 

"You  are  a  liar  and  a  cheat.  Diamond 
Jack,  and  you  tout  h  that  money  at  your 
peril!" 

The  gambler  stai  ted  back,  as  though 
stung,  at  these  v\ords,  then  a  wolfish 
smile  played  about  his  hard  mouth  as  he 
hissed: 

"Do  you  know  wbat  generally  happens 
to  the  man  that  c;.^,lls  Diamond  Jack  a 
cheat?" 

"  I  know  that  men  have  been  murdered 
for  telling  that  tru;h,"  was  the  cool  re- 
tort. "  But  you  can't  bluff  me  with  j-our 
ugly  looks.  L  saw  that  other  ace  on  tlie 
bottom  of  the  deck  when  you  dealt,  and 
if  you  haven't  stolen  it  you  have  a 
'  loaded  '  sleeve!" 

Another  smile,  loore  deadly  than  the 
first  wjreathed  thb  gambler's  lips,  ancl 
tiiose  in  the  crowd  who  knew  him  well 
stepped  back  mechanically. 

Then  occurred  something  wholly  un- 
expected. 

The  gambler  lea^red  to  his  feet  and 
cried: 


PARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


*'  'ion  are  right,  Ringlets;  my  sleeve  is 
loaded " 

A  pisttil  gleamed  for  a  single  instant  in 
his  hand — then  came  a  flash,  a  report, 
and  a  blue  pencil  of  smoke  from  the  op- 
pcjsite  side  of  the  table,  and  the  gambler, 
Diamond  Jack,  leaped  convulsively  into 
the  air,  then  fell  with  a  crash,  a  crimson 
rivulet  of  blood  welling  slowly  from  a 
ragged  hole  in  his  throat. 

Kinglets  leaped  to  his  feet,  a  pistol 
grasped  in  one  trembling  hand,  and  bent 
a  horrified  gaze  upon  the  stricken  man  at 
his  feet. 

He  just  had  time  to  gasp:  "As  God  is  my 
judge  I  did  not  kill  him!''  Then  a  dozen 
da,rk  browed  men  with  knives  in  hand 
rushed  at  him;  he  was  dimly  conscious 
that  a  lean,  yellow  hand  brushed  the  pile 
of  gold  from  the  table;  then  he  felt  him- 
self seized  from  behind,  the  sutfocating 
folds  of  some  garment  were  drawn  close 
about  him,  and  he  knew  no  more. 

When  at  last  the  young  man  regained 
his  senses  it  was  to  find  himself  lying 
upon  a  soft  couch  in  a  small  but  luxuri- 
antly-furnished apartment,  and — could  it 
be?  Yes,  the  room  and  all  in  it  was 
moving  with  a  peculiarly  pleasant,  glid- 
ing motion. 

And  then  he  realized  the  situation. 

He  was  in  the  cabin  of  a  river  craft  of 
some  kind,  probably  a  schooner. 

A  dark  cui'tain  was  drawn  back  near 
him  at  this  moment,  and  two  piercing 
eyes,  surrounded  by  a  yellow  visage, 
peered  in  at  him. 


CHAPTER  II. 

A   BASE   PROPOSITIOiSr. 

The  5'oung  man  had  no  difficulty  in 
recognizing  the  intruder. 

It  was  Sheeny,  the  Jew  money-lender. 

His  tall  form  was  clad  now  in  a  soiled, 
and  somewhat  tattered  silk  dressing- 
gown,  confined  at  the  waist  by  a  tri- 
coloi-ed  cord,  while  his  thin  gray  locks 
were  crowned  by  a  black  skull-cap. 

The  wretched  figure  of  the  old  Jew 
made  a  strong  contrast  to  the  otherwise 
magnificent  surroundings  as  he  stepped 
into  the  room,  with  his  usual  cringing 
motion,  and  croaked,  as  Ringlets  rose  to 
a  sitting  posture. 

"Ah!  mine  schild,  you  vas  all  right, 
now,  hein?  Und  maype  you  vas  feel 
veil  enough  to  have  a  talk  mit  your  oldt 
uncle,  hein?"  and  he  took  a  seat  upon 
the  extreme  edge  of  a  chair  a  few  paces 
distant. 

"Oh,  yes,  1  think  I  am  all  right;  but 
where  am  I?    Can  you  tell  me  that?" 

'*0h,  yes;  I  vas  dells  you  right  avay, 
pudy  quick.'' 


"  Well,  what  are  you  waiting  for^  Why 
don't  you  tell  me  what  vessel  this  is?" 

"  So  you  vos  dinks  you  vos  on  poatd  a 
shib,  hein?" 

"Of  course,  I  know  that.  On  a 
schooner.  And  now  what  is  the  name  of 
the  craft?" 

"Mine  schild,  I  dells  you  de  name  oaf 
dis  vessel,  but  must  nodt  be  dosurbrised. 
Ve  are  at  dis  minut^e  on  ^poard  der  Gray 
Gull."      • 

"What!  The  rebel  smuggler,  Gr?v 
Gull?" 

"  No,  but  der  Gonvederate  blockade- 
runner,  Gray  Gull." 

"No  difference,  for  every  one  knows 
that  she  was  a  smuggler  before  war  was 
declared.     But  how  came  I  on  board?" 

"You  vas  brought  here,  mine  schild." 

"I  am  not  an  idiot,  and  knew  that 
before.     But  who  brought  me  here?" 

"I  did." 

"You?" 

"Yes,  I!" 

"  What  are  you   driving  at,  old  man?        ! 
Why   did    you    bring  me   on   board   the 
Gray  Gull?" 

"  Do  safe  you  from  your  enemies,  mine 
schild."' 

"  Enemies!    I  have  no  enemies." 

"  But  Diamond  Jack  has  friends.'' 

"Ha!  I  remember.  There  was  afight 
at  Fortune's.  Good  heaven!  They  do 
not  think  that  I  shot  Diamond  Jack,  do 
they?" 

"They  saw  you  do  der  deed,  mine 
son." 

"  Y'ou  are  lying,  old  man.  You  know, 
and  they  know,  that  ic  was  not  I  who 
fired  the  shot.'' 

"Who  vas  id,  then?" 

The  young  mau  bowed  his  face  in  his 
hands  as  if  in  the  deepest  despair. 

Now  that  the  scenes  of  the  tragedy 
for  the  first  time  were  brought  clearly 
before  his  mind's  eye,  he  could  not  but 
too  bitterly  realize  that  his  position  was 
a  desperate  one. 

At  the  moment  that  Diamond  Jack  had 
so  cleverly  produced  his  pistol  from  his 
sleeve.  Ringlets  had  drawn  his  own 
weapon,  mechanically,  to  defend  himself, 
andat  the  same  instant  a  pistol  had  ex- 
ploded so  near  his  hand  that  he  had 
clearly  felt  the  concussion;  then  Diamond 
Jack  iiad  fallen,  a  bleeding  corpse  at  his 
very  feet,  while  he  knew,  positively, 
that  his  own  weapon  ha,d  remained  un- 
exploded. 

Clearly,  he  had  enemies,  but  he  had 
yet  to  realize  how  powerful  and  deadly 
they  could  be  in  their  tireless  machina- 
tions. 

At  last  the  young  man  raised  his  head, 
and  the  look  he  bent  upon  the  old  money- 
lender made  the  miser  quail. 


•)    c'»      ^ 


FARRAGUrS  SCOUT. 


"  Do  you  know  who  fired  the  fatal 
shot?" 

"I— er— Gott  in  Himmel!  Vot  you 
means,  mine  schild?  I  knows  nothings 
apoudt  der  affairs,  mine  sons,  excebd  dot 
dey  said  as  how  you  vos  killd  Diamond 
Jack,  und  den  I  hadt  von  ouf  my  men 
bring  you  here  do  safe  you  from  der 
gamblers!" 

"  Your  men!    What  men?" 
The  old  Jew  changed  color  perceptibly. 
"Ah,  my  men — oh,  yes,  I   see!    Veil,  I 
dinks   I   can  safely  gonfide  in   you  der 
segret,  for  ouf  gorse  you  villnodteif  your 
old  uncle  avay,  after  der  manner  in  vich 
he  has  safe  you  from  der  gamblers." 
"Well!" 

"Veil,  you  see,  I  haf  shust  bought  der 
Gray  Gull,  und  am  now  going  do  run  der 
blockade,  und  sail  for  Cuba  for  a  car- 
goes  " 

"But  I'm  not  going  with  vou!" 
"Hein?" 

"  I  tell  you  I'm  going  back,  and  the 
best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  run  ashoie 
and  let  me  off." 

"  Oh,  mine  schild,  you  vos  forget  der 
gamblers.'' 

"I  forget  nothing,  and  defy  all  the 
gamblers  in  Louisiana.  Put  me  ashore, 
old  man!" 

"My  sons,  I  gan  nodt  do  dot.  Ve  are 
now  pelow  der  forts,  und  der  swamps 
coom  right  oop  to  der  river  bank." 

"  Swamps  or  no    swamps,    I'm    going 

back.     Do  you  know  that  my  father  was 

upon  his  death-bed  when  I  came  away?" 

"  Yes;  it  was  very   sad.     But  dot  vas 

not  all." 

"  What  do  you  mean?" 
"  If  you  vill  readt  dot  article,  mine 
son,  you  vill  understand  better  as  I  gan 
dells  you,"  and  the  Jew  handed  to  the 
other  a  folded  newspaper,  and  pointed  to 
the  uppermost  column. 
The  article  was  headed: 

"  A  Sad  Affair. — A  young  man  wan- 
tonly slays  a  companion  over  a  game  for 
high  stakes,  at  the  very  moment  that  his 
father  breathes  his  last,  calling  plain- 
tively for  his  absent  and  erring  son. 
Colonel  Roger  Ringgold  dies  at  the  mo- 
ment that  his  son  Ralph  shoots  Diamond 
Jack,  the  gambler." 

Young  Ringgold,  or  "  Ringlets  "  as  he 
was  better  known  about  the  city,  sprung 
to  his  feet  and  gazed  at  the  paper  with 
pallid  face  and  starting  eyes. 

But  never  a  word  did  he  utter  until  the 
article  was  read,  and  he  had  learned  that 
his  father  had  indeed  passed  auav,  after 
leaving  his  son  all  his  vast  weahh,  on 
condition,  however,  that  he  should  give 
up  all  his  wild  habits  for  a  year,  and  bear 


a  record,  for  that  period,  clear  from  the 
faintest  tinge  of  dishonor;  that  a  price 
was  upon  his  own  head  for  the  killing  of 
Diamond  Jack,  and,  more,  that  he  was 
"  wanted  "  by  the  military,  charged  with 
being  a  spy  and  an  informer  in  the  in- 
terests of  the  Union  cause. 

The  old  Jew  watched  his  young  com- 
panion witii  eyes  like  a  lynx,  while  the 
other  made  himself  acquainted  with  the 
particulars  of  the  newspaper  article, 
while  a  strange,  half  triumphant  smile 
seemed  to  wreathe  his  thin  yellow  lips. 

At  last  the  young  man  had  read  the 
terrible  article  to  the  end,  but  he  still 
stood  gazing  dumbly  at  the  still  damp 
sheet. 

"  Veil,  vats  you  dinks?"  finally  uttered 
the  Jew,  when  his  patience  had  become 
completely  exhausted. 

"The  devil!  Who  could  have  had  the 
heart  to  write  up  that  black  lie?" 

"  You  vos  oxcided,  mine  sons.  Coom, 
loog-  ad  der  matters  reasonable.  You 
gan  nodt  deny  dot  you  vas  at  der  For- 
tune's Hall,  biaying  vor  high  sdakes  dis 
night,  or  dot  do  all  appearances  you  shot 

Diamond  Schack "    . 

"Enough,  old  man!    lam  going  back 

and  face  my  accusers " 

"  Dot  would  nefer  do." 
"What  do  you  mean?" 
"  In  der  first  blace  public  obinion  vos 
against  yon,  as  you  gan  see  by  der  noos- 
baber  article.  Nodt  only  vos  you  der  in- 
mate ouf  a  gambling-house  at  der  mo- 
ment dot  j'our  fader  died— dot   vill  dell 

against  you,  mine  son " 

"But  I  had  good  reasons  for  being 
there — it  was  with  my  father's  sanction." 
"Nodt  only  vas  you  dere,"  went  on  the 
old  Jew,  without  appearing  to  notice  the 
other's  interruption,  "but  der  milidary 
authoridies  vos  only  waiting  do  catch 
you,  before  dey  vos  hang  you  oop  by  der 
neck  oop." 

This  was  indisputable,  and  the  young 
man  turned  his  haggard  face  upon  the 
Jew  and  asked,  as  a  last  resort: 

"  What  am  I  to  do?  By  your  manner 
T  judge  you  have  a  scheme  to  propose." 

"  Y^es,  I  haf  a  sqeeme  do  bropose,  and 
I  dinks  me  dot  it  is  vour  only  hobe." 
"Well,  out  with  it?' 
"Id  ish  dis:    Farragut  und  his  fleed 
ouf  dwendy-fife  armed   shibs  ouf  var  ish 
efen  now  abroaching  der  mouth  ouf  der 
rifer,  mit  der  indendon  ouf  daking  der 
Forts  Shaokson  and  St.  Phillip,  und  der 
city  ouf  New  Orleans.     Now  id   ish  evi-; 
dent  dot  de  Y'^ankee  commander  gan  notj 
gid  shibs  ofer  der  bar  inidoudt  der  heli 
oufabilot.     Now,  vat  1   haf  do  brobose 
I  gif  you  in  a  nud  shell.     In  der  eyes  ouf 
der    milidary    authoridies    of  Xiouisiana^ 
you  vas  a  draider  undasby      You  also  J 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


haf,  agording  do  your  fader's  vill,  lost 
your  inheritance  by  your  act  of  siiootinfi: 
Diamond  Shacli.  And  now,  den:  1  am 
de  execudor  ouf  dot  vill,  and  if  yon  vill 
swear  dot  yon  vill  join  Farragud's  fleed 
und  bedray  him  do  der  Gonvederacy  by 
an  easy  means  dot  I  vill  make  known  do 
you,  I  vill  see  dot  your  name  is  glared  be- 
fore der  milidary,  und  dot  yon  goom  into 
your  fader's  probertj'  uiitoudt  difficulty." 
Before  the  >  oung  man  could  make  the 
indignant  reply  that  rose  to  his  lips,  a 
strange  event  occurred. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A    STRAXGE    STORY. 

"  Doctor,  tell  me  the  truth.  Is  there 
any  liope  for  me?" 

The.se  words  were  spoken  •  by  a  dying 
man;  yet  the  tone,  though  weak,  was 
even  and  calm,  as  thoutrh  the  King  of 
Terrors  held  no  fear  for  the  speaker. 

The  man  of  medicine,  as  though  loth 
to  answer  the  gentleuian,  turned  his  face 
from  his  patdent  and  began  busying  him- 
self with  the  several  vials  and  bottles 
upon  the  stand  close  by. 

The  sick  man  noted  the  action,  and 
understood  its  purport,  and  an  impatient 
scowl  crowded  his  feverish  brow. 

•'Come,  doctor;  out  with  it.  If  I  can 
live  until  sinirise,  well  and  good;  but  if 
sucli  sliall  not  be  the  case  I  must  know 
it  at  once,  for  I  have  much  to  do  in  order 
to  leave  my  business  in  proper  shape. 
And  now,  once  for  all:  How  long  can  I 
live?" 

Thus  pinned  down  to  a  straight  for- 
ward answer,  tlie  doctor  made  reply: 

"Colonel,  the  duty  yoti  oblige  me  to 
perform  wrings  my  heart;  nevertheless, 
my  friendly  interest  in  you  and  yours 
prompts  me  to  warn  you  that  if  there  are 
business  matters  calling  for  your  per- 
sonal adjustment  they  should  be  settled 
within  the  next  hour." 

"  Ha!  So  short  a  time.  But  there, 
I'm  not  con) plaining,  and — thank  5'ou, 
doctor.  Now  call  Devon,  my  agent,  and 
leave  us  together." 

A  lingering  clasp  of  the  sick  man's 
hand,  which  he  well  knew  would  be  the 
last,  then  the  doctor  left  the  apartment. 

A  few  moments  passed,  then  the  door 
opened  to  admit  a  man  of  thirty,  whose 
mutton-chop  whiskers  lent  him  a  de- 
cidedly •'Englishy"  appearance,  and 
were  well  in  keeping  with  his  florid  com- 
pexion,  and  well-knit,  though  rather  cor- 
pulent figure.  The  man  stepped  quickly 
to  the  bedside,  where  he  threw  himself 
upon  his  knees  and  buried  his  face  in  the 
sheets,  while  strong  sobs  shook  his 
frame. 


"There,  there,  Devon;  don't  take  on 
so.  It  is  what  we  all  n;u.-t  come  to,  and 
I  am  certain  I  should  never  be  bprter 
prepared  to  meet  my  Maker  than  at  this 
moment.  Come,  brace  up,  my  man. 
and  tell  me  if  you  have  heard  aught  of 
Ralph." 

"N — no,  sir;  but  I  ham  sure  'e  his  hall 
right,  sir,  hand  will  carry  bout  all  "e  has 
undertaken." 

"So  am  I,  Devon.  Ralph  has  been  a 
wild  blade,  but  1  am  sure  his  hea,rt  is  in 
t'^e  riglit  place.  But  time  alone  will  tell 
that,  and  for  the  present  I  must  think 
and  talk  of  other  things,  for  but  a  few 
brief  uioments  have  I  in  which  to  settle 
my  earthly  accounts." 

"  Oh,  master,  don't " 

"  There  Devon,  that  will  do.  I  know 
what  you  would  say,  a^nd  thank  you; 
but  now,  other  things  must  take  the 
place  of  vain  words  of  hope.  Devon, 
you  have  been  in  my  employ  for  upward 
of  twenty  years:  j'onr  faithfulness  and 
solicitude  for  my  Avelfare  has  been  with- 
out parallel,  but  now  I  ask  you  to  do 
still  more — to  take  the  full  burden  of  my 
earthly  aflfairs  upon  you  own  shoulders, 
and  carry  on  to  a  successful  issue,  the 
prospects  I  had  in  view  l)efore  this  fell 
blow  laid  me  here.     Will  you  do  this?" 

"I  will  do  anything  within  my  power, 
you  know  that." 

"I  was  certain  of  it.  And  now  listen: 
Twenty-two  years  ago,  in  the  port  of 
Havana,  I  married  Victorine  Bragaza,  or 
so  she  called  herself.  Victorine  was  first 
introduced  to  me  by  the  commander  of  a 
Spanish  man-of-war,  who  had  found  her, 
apparently  a  captive,  on  board  the  pirate 
schooner  of  Red  Cutlass,  the  corsair, 
whom  he  had  shortly  before  run  down 
and  captured.  I  was  young  then,  and 
the  rare  beauty  possessed  by  the  corsair's 
captive  won  me  heart  and  head,  and  I 
proposed  marriage  and  was  accepted. 
The  result  of  this  alliance  was  a  son — 
Ralph.  Three  days  after  the  birth  of  the 
child,  a  messenger  rode  up  to  our  door 
with  a  sealed  packet  addressed  to  my 
wife.  I  took  the  letter  to  her,  saw  her 
read  the  contents  with  palid  face  and 
starting  eyes,  caught  her  as  she  was 
about  to  fall,  and  held  in  my  arms  a 
corpse.  It  was  heart  disease  the  doctors 
said.  I  afterward  found  the  letter  and 
read  it.     It  ran  thus: 

"'Dear  Victorine:  I  liave  escaped 
from  the  much  <lreaded  Moro,  and  by 
the  time  this  reaches  you  will  be  once 
again  treading  the  deck  of  my  §aucy  Sea 
Witch,  with  most  of  my  old  free-lance 
crew  at  my  back.  I  shall  make  a  cruise 
of  a  month's  duration,  then  shall  return 
for    you,    and    whether   your  American 


PARRAGUT'S'  SCOUT. 


dupe  accompanies  us  or  not  is  for  you  to 
decieie.     Be  ready. 

"  "Bragaza  (Red  Cutlass).' 

••Undoubtedly  the  pirate  had  some 
hold  upon  her,  though  to  her  sorrow  I 
know,  for  of  her  love  for  ine  lam  certain, 
but  what  that  hold  was  I  do  not  know  to 
this  day.  I  caused  preparations  to  he 
made  for  his  capture  upon  his  return, 
but  nothing  caiue  of  it.  I  lost  the  little 
fortune  1  possessed  in  fitting  out  an  ex- 
pedition bent  upon  liis  capture,  then 
sailed  for  South  America.  There  I  re- 
gained my  fortune,  and  when  Ralph  was 
eight  years  old  I  returned  to  the  United 
States",  placed  the  boy  in  a  school  in 
Mississippi,  and  emigrated  to  California 
in  search  of  more  gold.  In  the  Grolden 
State  I  was  again  successful,  and  soon 
built  up  a  vast  fortune,  most  of  which, 
as  you  know,  is  invested  there.  The 
particulars  I  have  already  recounted, 
you  were  before  cognizant  of,  for  you 
were  the  boy  messenger  to  my  wife  from 
the  pirate,  though  at  the  time  you  little 
knew  you  were  in  tho  employ  of  the  late 
prisoner  of  the  Moro,  Red  Cutlass;  and 
you  have  been  one  of  my  family  ever 
since,  except  when  I  was  in  California, 
and  it  is  of  an  incident  that  occurred 
there  tliat  I  am  now  about  to  tell  you. 

"One  nitrht,  or  rather  morning,  for  it 
was  past  twelve,  as  I  was  about  to  lock 
the  door  of  my  office  on  California  thor- 
oughfare, in  San  Francisco,  preparatorj- 
to  returning  to  my  lodgings,  the  flash 
and  report  of  a  pistol  came  from  a  spot 
but  a  few  paces  behind  me,  and  a  bullet 
almost  grazed  the  top  of  mj'  head,  knock- 
ing the  hat  from  its  place,  and  burying 
itself  in  the  stout  plank  door. 

'•Those  were  desperate  times  in  'Frisco, 
and  experience  had  taught  me  to  be  al- 
ways upon  my  guard,  so,  wheeling  in  my 
tracks  uuon  tlie  instant,  I  discharged  my 
:-ev3lver  at  the  man  who  had  attempted 
my  life.  That  Juy  bullet  flew  true  I  knew 
by  the  yell  of  agony  the  desperado  gave 
forth.  Supi)osing  the  fellow  to  be  one  of 
the  dreaded  'Hounds  of  'Frisco,'  and 
that  from  that  moment  I  would  be  a 
marked  man,  I  was  about  to  spring  away 
from  the  spot  with  all  speed,  when  I  was 
brought  to  a  halt  by  these  words  of  the 
fallen  man: 

"' Hold,  Colonel  Ringgold!  I  am  dy- 
ing, but  if  you  would  save  your  life  and 
that  of  your  son,  as  well  asVour  fortune, 
come  back  and  listen  to  what  I  have  to 
tell.' 

"  I  had  that  day,  and  for  the  second 
time,  heard  of  Ralph's  wild  ways,  and 
These  words  halted  me  as  none  others 
would. 

"Ian:  fast   growing    weak,    and    :nust 


make  my  story  short.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  I  turned  back,  learned  that  tlie  fel- 
low had  been  hired  by  a  party  in  New 
Orleans  to  hunt  me  to  my  death,  that  a 
secret  organization  of  thugs  in  this  city 
was  at  the  back  of  the  desperate  plot, 
and  saw  the  desperado  breathe  his  last 
without  giving  me  the  name  of  my  enemy. 
Then  I  came  back,  re,solved  to  face  my 
would-be  assassins  and  fight  them  to  the 
bitter  end,  for  in  souie  way  I  believed 
that  Red  Cutlass  wiis  at  the  bottom  of 
the  affair,  though  why  I  was  so  impressed 
I  cannot  tell. 

"  Well,  I  discovered  that  there  is  a 
secret  band  of  thugs  here,  and  that  they 
have  me  in  view  for  a  victim,  and  my 
fortune  as  their  goal.  This  fatal  bullet 
wound  in  my  back  and  the  bogus  sum- 
mons to  Fortune's  Hall  last  night  are 
proof  conclusive. 

"Ah!  my  sight  and  breath  fails,  but  I 
have  told  j'ou  the  story.  Ralph  has — ■ 
sworn  to  hunt  the  devils  down — you 
help  him.  I — have  inade  my  will — made 
you  executor.  The  will — is  under — my 
pillow — take  care  of  Ralph.  Ha!  'ware 
the  club " 

The  dyin^  man  uttered  the  last  word — 
his  last  breath — with  almost  a  shriek  of 
frenzy. 

Devon  started  to  his  feet  with  a 
startled  yell.  Then  a  heavj-  bludgeon  in 
the  hands  of  a  masked  man  at  his  back 
strucli  him  a  heavy  blow  upon  the  head, 
and  he  sunk  unconscious  across  the  dead 
body  of  his  luaster. 


When  at  last  the  faithful  Devon 
opened  his  eyes,  it  was  to  find  himself 
being  borne  along  through  tiie  darkness 
of  night  by  two  closely  cloaked  foi"ms. 
At  first  he  had  no  idea  of  where  he  was, 
but  ids  position  was  nuide  more  appar- 
ent some  moments  latei  when  his  captors 
approached  the  river  bank  at  a  retired 
point,  and  deposited  their  burden  in  the 
bottom  of  a  small  row- boat. 

The  two  tiieu  entered  the  boat,  seized 
the  oars  and  began  propelling  the  craft 
rapidly  down  streaiu. 

At  last  tiie  outline  of  a  schooner  could 
be  made  out  ,1usc  ahead,  the  Ijoat  \v'as 
made  fast  to  the  forechains,  and  Devon 
was  lifted  aboard  and  carried  below. 

Here,  ju.>t  as  his  botids  were  removed, 
a  dark  curtain  near  was  lifted  by  a 
draft,  and  he  discovered  beyond  the 
forms  of  Ralph  Ringgold  and  old  Sheeny, 
the  money  lender. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

SOME   MATTERS  HISTORICAL. 

The  following  passages  in  an  order 
originating  at   the   navy  department,  at 


FARRAGUT-S  SCOUT. 


Washington,  bearing  the  date  of  January 
iO,  1862,  and  directed  to  Commander 
J3avid  G.  Farragut,  U..  S.  N.,  will  explain 
themselves: 

,"  When  the  bomb-vessels,  with  armed 
steamers  enough  to  manage  them,  arrive 
at  Key  West,  and  you  are  completely 
ready,  you  will  collect  such  vessels  as  cau 
be  spared  from  the  blockade,  and  pro- 
ceed up  the  Mississippi  River,  and  reduce 
tlie  defences  which  guard  theapproaches 
to  New  Orleans,  vi'hen  you  will  appear 
(jflf  that  city  and  take  possession  of  it 
uiider  the  guns  of  your  squadron,  and 
hoist  the  American  flag  therein,  keeping 
possession  until  troops  caia  be  sent  to 
you." 

The  great  undertaking  -which  the 
above  order  implies,  originated  in  the 
fertile  and  powerful  brain  of  the  then 
Commander — now  Admiral  (U.  S.  N.) — 
David  D.  Porter,  and  was  made  a  success 
througii  the  hearty  co-operation  of  Gen- 
eral George  B.  McCIellan  then  in  the 
zenith  of  his  power,  who,  although  all 
the  time  busily  engaged  in  organizing  a 
large  army  with  which  to  guarantee  the 
safety  of  the  Fedei-al  seatof  government, 
and  to  march  upon  Richmond,  settled  the 
matter  in  two  days  of  collecting  twenty 
thousand  troops,  under  Major-general 
Benjamin  F.  Butler,  with  which  to  hold 
the  city  of  New  Orleans. 

Thus  it  happened  that  about  the  mid- 
dle of  March,  1862,  Commander  D.  G. 
Farragut,  in  command  of  the  West  Gulf 
blockading  squadron,  arrived  with  his 
fleet  of  war-ships,  and  with  a  heavy 
flotilla  of  mortar  vessels  under  the  com- 
mand of  Admiral  Porter,  oil  Pass  d' 
rOutre,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  proceeded  to  cross  the  bar. 

But  just  here  a  balk  was   encountered. 

But  little  diffic-jlty  was  met  with  in 
getting  the  mortar  flotilla  over,  under  the 
able  supervision  of  Porter,  but  the  de- 
partment had  made  a  mistake  in  sending 
such  mammoth  vessels  as  the  Colorado 
and  Mississippi,  whose  great  drafts  of 
water,  especially  so  the  first-named  ves- 
sel, prevented  them  being  lightened 
enough  to  allow  their  passage  across  the 
bar. 

Tiie  flag-ship  Hartford,  and  the  Brook- 
lyn, were  the  only  two  which  could  cross 
witiiout  lighteping;  the  Richmond  had 
been  grountled  seven  times  by  a  careless, 
if  not  traitorous  i)ilot,  while  the  Pensa- 
cola  had  been  run  upon  a  wreck  nearly  a 
hundred  yards  awaj'  from  the  channel, 
and  now  lay  with  her  j)ropeller  half  out 
of  water. 

Thus  matters  stood  upon  the  night 
■with  which  this  story  opens,  and  to  say 


that  the  eommand  was  in  a  despairing 
state  of  mind  would  be  putting  it  mildly. 

The  originator  of  the  great  expedition 
was  pacing  the  deck  of  ins  flag-ship. -the 
Hariiet  Lane,  wrapped  iii  a  brown 
study. 

All  the  energy  of  his  powerful  mind 
was  bent  in  trjing  to  dissolve  the  difiB- 
culties  which  had  arisen  in  the  path  of 
his  great  project. 

"The  pilots  are  all  rascals,"  he  mut- 
tered aloud.  "  The  men  are  getting  im- 
patient; Farragut  is  in  despair,  and  I  am 
at  mj'  wit's  end.  And  now.  how  are  the 
ships  to  get  over  the  bar?  Who  is  to  solve 
the  problem?'' 

"I  ami"  broke  in  a  deep  voice,  almost 
at  his  elbow,  and  turning,  what  was  the 
officers  astonishment  to  see,  just  emerg- 
ing over  the  side  of  the  vessel  the  athletic 
form  of  a  young  man — almost  a  boy — 
with  a  handsome  face,  crowned  with  a 
mass  of  long  yellow  ringlets,  and  the 
whole  soaked  and  dripping  with  the  yel- 
low waters  of  the  Mississippi. 

"  Who  in  the  name  of  Neptune  are  you? 
for  I  should  judge,  by  thetuannerof  your 
arrival,  that  you  were  some  relation  to 
him!"  cried  the  commander,  with  uncon- 
cealed astonishment  clearly  written  upon 
his  face. 

"1  am  Ringlets,  at  your  service,  sir," 
uttered  the  stranger,  with  a  salute. 

"Ah,  true;  and  may  I  ask  where  you 
are  from?"'  with  just  a  touch  of  sarcasm, 
and  gravel}'  answering  the  salute. 

"From  the  city,  sir."' 

"What?  You  have  passed  the  forts 
lately?" 

"This  very  night,  sir." 

"Hum — but  I  believe  you  opened  this 
conversation  by  announcing  that  you 
were  to  solve  the  problem  of  the  fleet 
crossing  the  bar,"  his  mind  quickly  re- 
verting to  its  main  object. 

"  I  did,  sir;  and  stand  rea.dy  to  make 
good  my  words." 

The  commander  scrutinized  the  o.fher 
from  head  to  foot  with  one  quick,  search- 
ing glance,  then  turned,  saying,  as  he 
nn^ved  aft: 

"Please  follow  me  below,  young  man. 
I  wish  to  speak  with  you  alone." 

Entering  his  cabin  the  commander, 
with  a  motion  of  his  hand,  invited  his 
strange  guest  to  be  seated  and  partake 
of  the  substantial  refreshments  upon  a 
table  between  them. 

This  the  handsome  stranger  was  noth- 
ing loth  to  do;  for,  as  his  pale  face  and 
wearied  look  and  motions  foretold,  he 
had  been  to  great  exertions  in  the  past 
hour. 

But  the  nourishing  food  and  rich  wine, 
of  wdiich  he  partook  eagerly,  seemed  to 
put  new  life  into   his  exhausted  frame, 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


and  in  a  short  time  he  moved  back,  and, 
with  a  salute,  signified  his  readiness  to 
be  questioned. 

And  the  impatient  commander  was  not 
slow  to  put  his  strange  protege  to  the 
test. 

"  Can  you  steer  those  ships  over  tlie 
bar?"  abruptly  asked  the  naval  officer. 

'*No,  sir,"  was  the  unexpected  reply. 

Porter  looked  at  his  vis  avis,  a  threat- 
ening frown  wrinkling'  his  brow;  for  the 
reply  of  the  stranger  lent  hiui  a  suspicion 
thathe  was  entertaining  a  "crank,"  if 
not  a  person  ot  a  more  dangerous  char- 
acter. 

"  Then  what  meant  you,  when  you  so 
une.xpectediy  interrupted  me  there  on 
the  deck,  a  moment  ago?" 

"Just  what  I  said,  sir." 

"Then  if  you  cannot  get  the  vessels 
over,  who  can?" 

"  Yourself,  sir." 

"Come!  Enough  of  these  riddles.  I 
will  give  you  just  one  moment  to  explain 
yourself.  To  return  to  your  first  words: 
How  are  you  to  solve  the  problem  now 
before  the  command?" 

"I  will  tell  you,  sir,  in  a  few  words. 
The  way  I  am  to  solve  the  problem  is 
simply  to  guide  your  war  ships  over  the 
bar,  as  I  know  every  crook  and  turn  of 
the  channel." 

"  But  you  just  said  you  could  not  do 
this." 

"Pardon  me,  sir,  but  you  misunder- 
stood me.  I  cannot  steer  your  vessels 
across  the  bar,  for  the  simple  reason  that 
I  do  not  know  how  to  steer  large  ships, 
never  having  studied  navigation.  But  I 
guarantee  that  I  can  direct  you,  or  any 
reliable  pilot,  so  that  you  can  cross  the 
bar  without  trouble." 

"But  I  must  ask  for  your  motive  in 
doing  this,  as,  if  you  are  so  well  familiar 
with  the  channel  across  the  bar,  you 
must  necessarily  be  a  near  resident,  there- 
fore a  Soutiierner." 

"  ^o,  I  believe,  is  the  commander  of 
this  expedition." 

"True;  but  he  has  proved  his  fidelity 
to  the  Union,  and — have  you?" 

"  If  riot,  I  will,  with  your  permission." 

The  officer  bowed  his  assent. 

''Then,  in  the  first  place,  sir,  I  will  re- 
introduce myself  as  Ralph  Ringgold,  the 
son  of  Colonel  Roger  Ringgold " 

"What?  The  Colonel  Ringgold  of 
Mexican  War  fame?" 

"The  same,  sir.  And  if  you  care  to 
ILsteii,  or  think  it  worth  your  while,  I 
will  tell  you  my  story,  which  will  explain 
my  presence  here,  and  the  strange  man- 
ner of  my  arrival  on  board  your  ves- 
sel." 

"You  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  proceed. 
,sir,  for  I  confess  myself  deeply  interested 


in  you,  and  know  your  story  will  set  at 
rest  all  doubts  as  to  your  fidelity." 

It  would  be  superfluous  to  here  give  all 
the  conversation  tliat  followed.  Suffice 
it  to  say,  that  the  commander  was  soon 
in  possession  of  the  main  facts  of  the 
story  we  have  alreadj'  heard  from  the 
dying  lips  cf  the  murdered  colonel — the 
tragic  scene  in  Fortune's  Hall,  and  the 
subsequent  strange  conversation  with 
old  Sheeny  on  board  the  Gray  Gull. 

But  arrived  at  this  point  of  the  ac- 
count, the  commander  broke  in  with: 

"One  moment  if  you  please.  It  ap- 
pears to  me  that  this  old  Jew  is  one  of 
the  prime  movers  in  a  plot  to  cripple  or 
destroy  tliis  fleet." 

"You  are  undoubtedly  right  in  your 
suruise,  sir." 

"Then  how  comes  it  that  he  did  not 
know  that  we  were  alreadv  here  at  the 
Pass?" 

"If  you  will  once  more  revert  to  tlie 
incident  of  the  newspaper,  and  the  ar- 
rival of  my  father's  agent  on  board  the 
schooner,  it  is  plain.  In  the  first  place 
the  tragedy  in  Fortune's  Hall  occurred 
long  before  the  isyne  of  the  morning 
paper,  while  we  were  far  below  the  forts 
when  I  first  saw  the  sheets.  Thus  it 
follows  that  I  must  have  been  kept  un- 
conscious with  some  drug  nearly  twenty- 
four  hours,  probably  to  keep  me  more 
strictly  quiet  until  the  successful  capture 
of  the  agent  Devon." 

"Ah,  yes;  such  must  have  been  the 
case,  so  pray  proceed.  1  suspect  you 
made  a  bold  break  for  freedom  and  took 
to  the  river." 

"  Y'ou  are  right,  sir.  The  moment  I 
caught  sight  of  old  Devon,  I  sprung  to- 
ward him.  But  before  I  could  make » 
single  leap  forward,  the  old  Jew  caught 
uie  in  a  grasp  that  almost  broke  my  ribs, 
and  in  a  voice  at  utter  variance  with  his 
usual  squeaky  tones — for  it  was  like  the 
bellow  of  a  sea-horse — he  coujmandeu 
his  men  to  remove  tkeir  captive.  Tiiie 
they  attempted  to  do,  but  upon  the  jn- 
stant  the  Englishman  leaped  forward 
with  sui-pri.sing  quickness  and  dealt  the 
Jew  a  stunning  blow  upon  the  head  with 
such  science  that  he  was  forced  to  release 
me.  Then  we  both,  with  one  accord 
made  for  the  deck,  with  the  Jew  clos? 
behind.  Just  at  the  instant  that  I  leaped 
over  the  rail  of  the  schooner,  there  came 
the  report  of  a  pistol  from  behind,  and  I 
saw  Devon  fall  head  long  to  the  deck.  I 
reached  the  water  in  safety,  and  as  the 
schooner  swept  bj'  I  grasped  the  gun- 
wale of  a  small  boat  fastened  to  her 
chains,  and  crawled  into  it.  Nothing 
further  occurred  until  we  arrived  off  a 
small  point  but  a  few  miles  above  here, 
when  suddenlv  a  curious-colored  rocket 


FARRAGUT-S  SCOUT. 


» 


rose  from  the  timbered  point,  and  the 
schooner  was  brouglit  up  witli  fliipping 
sails.  Then  another  rocket  went  up,  ( 
and  the  vessel  put  about  and  went  flying 
up  stream  as  though  pursued  b}-  fientis. 
1  cut  the  small  boat  loose,  drifted  past 
the  point  in  safety,  and  here  I  am.  Do 
you  believe  my  story,  «ir?" 

"I  do,  Mr.  Ringgold;  and  we  will  at 
once  set  off  to  the  Hartford,  and  see 
Farragut — that  is,  if  you  are  not  too 
badly  used  up  after  your  recent  trying 
adventures." 

Ringlets  intimated  his  readiness  tf>  be 
brought  before  the  commander  at  once 
by  rising  from  his  seat,  and  soon  they 
were  enroute   for  the  flag-ship  Hartford. 

That  the  interview  which  followed 
was  entirely  satisfactory  all  around  is 
proved  by  the  fact,  that  with  but  little 
delay,  the  Pensacola,  the  last  of  the 
"doubtfuls,"  was  passed  safely  over  the 
bar. 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  BRAND   OF  THE    RED   CUTIiASS. 

"Mr.  Ringgold,  having  learned,  through 
Commander  Porter,  of  your  desire  to 
enter  the  Federal  service,  I  have  sent 
for  you  to  propose  an  expedition  that 
will  cover  you  with  honor  if  you  are  suc- 
cessful." 

These  words  were  spoken  by  Admiral 
Farragut,  in  his  comfortable  cabin  in  the 
Hartford,  then  lying  off  Pilot  Town. 

The  one  addressed  I  need   not   further 
introduce,    as    the   reader   will   at    once 
recognize  in  him  Ringlets. 
.   Saluting,  Ringlets  answered: 

"I  shall  ever  feel  myself  in  debt  to 
Commander  Porter  for  this,  and  I  assure 
you,  sir,  that  any  trust  you  m.any  honor 
me  with,  I  shall  be  proud  to  assume,  and 
will  give  it  my  utmost  attention,  regard- 
less of  danger  or  difficulty." 

"I  am  sure  of  that."  w^as  the  hearty 
reply  of  the  old  flag-officer.  If  I  had  not 
the  utmost  confidence  in  your  skill  and 
daring,  I  should  not  trust  you  with  the 
undertaking  1  have  in  view,  for  I  warn 
you  that  danger  will  curround  your  every 
step." 

'"If  I  am  right  in  the  surmise  of  the 
direction  I  am  to  take,  I  caneasii}'  realize 
that  your  warning  is  not  idle.  But  pray, 
proceed,  and  I  will  undertake  to  enter 
the  fort  itself,  if  such  is  your  wish." 

"Ha!  Yuu  have  forestalled  me  in  my 
idea.  But  no  matter.  Are  you  familiar 
with  the  swamps  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Jackson?" 

"Yes,  sir;  and  St.  Philip  also." 

"Ah!  then  1  shall  not  be  disaiDpointed 
Xn  ?iiy  choice  of  a  special  scout." 

"1  hope  not,  sir;  but   I  surmise  you 


wish   me  to  visit  the  neighborhood    of 
Fort  Jackson  on  sonje  secret  mission." 

•'Tliat  is  it  precisely.  The  United 
States  Coast  Survey  steamer  Sachem, 
under  command  of  Lieutenant  F.  H. 
Gerdes,  is  about  to  start  up-river  for  tlie 
purpose  of  triangulatinji  the  stream  below 
tiie  forts  for  the  benefit  of  \hf  mortar 
flotilla.  You  will  report  to  OlfiL-er  Gerdes 
within  the  hour,  and  proceed  up  tiio 
river  with  him  to  any  point  yr>u  may 
choose,  wdiere  you  will  land,  antladvai.ee 
as  near  the  fort  as  you  successlull)'  can, 
when  you  will  use  j'our  best  endeavor  to 
learn  anything  of  the  enemy's  strength 
in  men,  position  or  armament,  not  al- 
ready known  to  this  command.  If  noth- 
ing of  special  importance  can  be  learned 
at  Fort  Jackson,  you  will  cross  the  river 
and  follow  the  same  i)lan  of  insTruciion 
in  regard  to  Fort  St.  Philip,  in  the  mean- 
time noting,  if  possible,  tiie  cb.aracter  of 
the  obstructions  in  the  river  channel. 
There  is  little  need  to  warn  you  again 
that  your  path  will  be  beset  with  many 
dangers — the  swamps  are  full  of  guer- 
rillas and  desperadoes  of  the  worst  type 
— so  be  preparetl  for  any  emergency'.' 
And  now  do  you  perfectly  untlersta.nd 
the  instructions  I  have  given  you  ora,lly, 
for  it  would  be  the  height  of  folly  for  you 
to  carry  compromising  papers  upon  your 
person  under  the  circumstances?" 

"  I  fully  understand  what  is  required, 
so,  with  your  permission,  I  will  prepare 
to  report  to  Officer  Gerdes." 

"  Y'^ou  are  dismissed,  and  may  success 
attend  you,"  and  returning  the  young 
man's  salute  the  old  officer  bowed  his 
young  "  special  "  out. 

As  Ringlets  stepped  without  the  cabin 
he  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  swiftlj^  retreat- 
ing form,  which  in  a  moment  had  di«ap- 
peared  down  a  near  cou)panion-wav. 

Perhaps,  occupied  as  he  was  with  bnsy 
thoughts  of  the  great  undertaking  before 
him,  the  young  man  would  have  given 
no  second  thought  to  the  affair  but  for  a 
curious  incident  connected  with  the 
man's  disappearance. 

As  he  swui.g  himself  to  the  companion- 
way  ladder  the  man's  muscular  right  arm 
was  for  a  moment  exposed  to  the  youth's 
gaze,  and  upon  it  the  latter  was  startled 
to  behold  the  tattooed  outline  of  a  red 
cutlass. 

Ringlets  started  as  though  pricked 
with  a  knife. 

"  By  heaven!  there  is  something  more 
in  this  than  chance,"  he  exchumed,  as  he 
(lashed  to  the  companion-way  and  gazed 
down. 

Onlj'  the  head  and  shoulders  of  the 
master-gunner  of  the  Hartford  coming 
up  the  ladder  rewarded  him. 

The  old  gunner  saluted  the  voune:  man 


■0 


FARIIAGUT?S  SCOUT. 


who  had  so  suddenly  become  the  hero  of 
the  squadron,  then  attracted  by  his 
startled  look  asked: 

"  What  is  the  matter,  sir?  You  look  as 
if  you  had  seen  a  ghost." 

'"'Perhaps  I  have.  But  did  you  recog- 
nize the  sailor  tliat  just  passed  you  at  the 
foot  of  the  ladder?" 

The  old  man  looked  at  the  other  quizzi- 
cally. 

"You    must  'ave    taken    an   overdose 
■  there  in  the  cabin,  sir.     No  sailor  passed 
me  below  deck,  sir." 

Ringlets  could  not  keep  back  an  in- 
credulous look,  yet  he  knew  the  master- 
gunner  was  true  as  steel;  so  he  merely 
said: 

"Oh,  it  is  no  matter.  I  thought  some- 
one was  listening  at  the  door  of  the  cabin, 
anil  I  presume  luy  imagination  led  ine  to 
believe  I  saw  a  sailor  disappear  down  the 
companion-way,"  and  with  a  salute  he 
started  for  his  skiff  at  the  vessePs  side. 

A  few  moment's  later  he  had  reported 
to  Officer  Gerdes,  and  the  Sachem  li^ad 
started  on  its  perilous  cruise  up  the  river. 

Jiast  as  the  steamer  was  about  to  cast 
off  her  lines  a  small  skiff,  occupied  by  a 
white  man  and  a  negro,  the  latter  of 
whom  was  rowing,  shot  from  the  side  of 
the  Hartford,  and  rapidly  p.pproached 
the  steamer,  and  a  moment  later  the 
negro  mounted  to  the  deck  while  the 
skiff  began  its  return. 

An  officer  of  the  steamer  stejDped  for- 
ward with  the  evident  intention  of  chal- 
lenging the  newcomer,  but  befor-e  he 
could  do  so  the  latter  hurried  to  Ringlets' 
side  and  handed  him  a  folded  paper. 

Taking  it  nieehanically  the  j'oung  man 
read  as  follows: 

"Scout  Ringgold:  At  the  last  mo- 
ment I  send  you  my  servant  Pomp,  the 
bearer  of  this  note.  It  is  my  wish  that 
you  lake  him  with  you,  as  j'ou  will  iiud 
him  faithful,  trustworthy,  and,  above 
all,  is  believed  by  the  swaurpers  with 
whom  you  will  come  in  contact,  to  be 
secretly  their  mcst  trusty  agent.  He 
knows  all  our  plans.  Keep  nothing  from 
hi  Farragtjt." 

Ringlets  glanced  from  the  letter  to  the 
bearer  suspiciously. 

He  stood,  hat  in  hand  and  with  bowed 
head,  tlie  very  picture  of  liumiHty. 

He  was  nearly  six  feet  in  heighth,  and 
was  evidently  possessed  of  great  physical 
power. 

He  was  very  well  appearing  for  a 
negro,  but,  curiously  enough,  his  head 
was  covered  by  a  iiiass  of  black  hair  as  long 
and  straight  as  that  of  an  Indian,  tliough 
his  features  bore  a  decidedly  African 
cast. 


"Are  you  a  negro?"  suddenly  asked 
Ringlets,  eying  the  other  sharplj". 

If  he  expected  to  startle  the  new-comer 
into  some  sort   of  a  confession,  he  was 
disappointed,    for,    without    raising  his 
eyes  the  fellow  replied: 
"No,  sah,  only  half." 
"  So!     You  are  a  half-negro,  eh?" 
"  Yes,  sah." 

"  And  what  is  the  other  half?" 
"  Enjun,  sah." 

"Oh!    And  you  were   Admiral  Parra- 
gut's  servant,  eh?" 
"  I  was,  sah." 

"  How  long  have  you  helfl   that  Dosi- 
tion?" 
"'Bout  two  months,  sah." 
"  Where  were  you  when   you  entered 
his  employ?" 

"  At  Key  West,  sah." 
"  And  you  have  been  with   him  on  the 
Hartford  ever  since,  eh?" 
"Yes,  sah?" 

If  the  negro  had  raised  his  eyes  long 
enough  to  have  caught  the  expression 
on  his  interrogator's  face  at^this  answer 
he  might  not  have  been  so  satisfied  with 
the  manner  in  which  he  had  so  promptly 
rephed  to  the  young  scout's  questions. 

From  the  very  first  moment  Ringlets 
had  been  suspicious. 

He  knew  that  this  was  not  the  manTier 
in  which  tlie  strict  old  iiaval  officer  trans- 
acted business,  and  he  had  resolved  to 
question  the  negro  closely. 

The  intelligent  reader  has  no  doubt 
noticed  the  discrepancy  between  the 
•negro's  answers  and  the  letter  he  bore. 

The  letter  told  that  its  bearer  was 
"hand  in  glove"  with  the  swampers 
about  the  forts,  while  he  had  jutst  af- 
firmed that  he  was  from  Key  West,  and 
had  been  on  board  the  Hartford  ever 
since. 

"Very  well;  put  on  your  hat  and  look 
up  here." 

It  had  been  the  scout's  intention  to  de- 
nounce the  fraud  then  and  there,  and 
hand  him  over  to  the  officers  of  the 
steamer,  but  at  that  moment  a  strange 
and  startling  incident  took  place  which 
deterred  him. 

As  the  negro  obeyed  the  first  com- 
mand, the  loose  sleeve  of  his  right  arm 
Slipped  back,  disclosing,  even  througli 
its  dusky  though  artificial  coating,  the 
tattooed  figure  of  a  red  cutlass. 

Ringlets  could  scarcely  repress  a  start- 
led yell  at  the  sight. 
What  could  it  mean? 
Surelv  this  was  not  the  same  man  he 
had  seen  disappear  down  the  companion- 
way  of  the  gun-boat,  for  he  was  a  boy 
in  size  beside  this  giant. 

Ringlets  feared  his  startled  look  would 
arouse    the   negro's  suspicions,    but  the 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


other  appeared  not  to  notice  the  expres- 
sion. 

The  young:  man  wanted  time  for  deep 
thought,  and  so  dismissed  the  messenger 
with :  K. 

"  1  guess  j'Ou  ate  all  straight,  Pomp, 
so  be  ready  for  actron  when  we  arrive  at 
the  bend." 

Seating  himself  iia  a  secluded  spot,  he 
muttered: 

"Wliatcan  it  mean?  Is  it  possible  it 
is  the  brand  of  Red  Cutlass,  the  Pirate, 
uiy  mother's  captor?  If  so,  what  are 
their  intentions  toward  me?" 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AMONG  THE   SWAMPERS. 

Crack ! — s — s— ^wisl>! 

A  small  white  cloud  of  smoke  shot 
from  the  luxuriant  undergrowth  upon 
the  low  river  bank,  and  a  heavy  bullet 
wl)istled  sharply  pa.>st  the  head  of  an 
officer  on  the  deck  of  the  coast-survej' 
steamer,  Sachem. 

The  civil  officer,  who  was  by  no  means 
used  to  this  sort  of'  sport,  involuntarilj- 
dodged,  though  reason  would  have 
taught  him  that  the  bullet  was  then 
hundreds  of  feet  beyond  him. 

"By  Jove,  thoughl  That  was  the 
closest  call  I  ever r-" 

Crack  I — th  u  t — zeep! 

Again  the  little  white  cloud  rolled  out 
over  tlie  sluggish  water,  and  this  time 
the  officer  actually  leaped  from  his 
tracks,  for  the  bullet  passed  through  his 
hat. 

"  B-by  J-J-J-ove,  you  know!"  and  the 
startled  civilian  made  a  blind  dash  for 
the  engine-room  and  disapi)eared. 

Ringlets,  who  saw  the  comical  incident,- 
saluted  the  commander,  who  was  stand- 
ing near,  and  said: 

'■  I  see  you  have  a  fine  rifle  in  a  rack  in 
your  cabin.  If  you  would  lend  it  to  me 
a  few  moments  1  think  I  could  learn  some 
of  those  rascally  swampers  a  lesson." 

'■  A  good  idea.  They  nearly  made  an 
end  of  poor  Bennet,  and  if  \on  thinic 
you  can  shake  the  fellows  up  a  little  3'ou 
are  welcome  to  try.  But  for  the  love  of 
i:^e  I  can't  see  what  you  are  to  shoot  at; 
for,  though  the  scamps  are  pegging  away 
at  ub  continually,  I  have  yet  to  see  one 
of  them." 

■'  Well,  I  v\ill  show  you  one  in  a  mo- 
ment," answered  the  seout,  confidently, 
as  he  took  tlie  short-barrelled  weapon 
that  was  handed  him,  and  thrust  its 
muzzle  over  a  large  coil  of  rope  near. 

The  Sachem  was  forging  slowly  up  the 
rivL'r,  her  officers  and  crew  ever  on  the 
lookout  for  signs  of  danger  from  the  two 
points  of  channel  and  shore 


Thej'  had  alreadj'  discovered  it  from 
the  latter  source,  in  the  persons  of  in- 
numerable swampers  and  pot-  hunters, 
with  tneir  long  rifles,  that  infested  the 
thick  swamps  on  either  hand. 

Scarcely  had  the  young  scout  gained 
his  position  than  another  shot  sounded 
out,  and  an  officer  near  liim  made  a 
fruitless  grab  for  the  cigar  he  had  just 
lighted,  and  which  had  seemed  to  leap 
from  his  mouth  and  over  the  side  of  the 
vessel  like  magic. 

But  before  he  could  put  into  words  the 
disgufct  he  fpll.  the  scout's  rifle  cracked, 
a  yell  of  agony  came  from  the  bank,  and 
a  huge  body  was  seen  to  pitch  headlong 
from  a  mass  of  gnarled  and  twisted  limbs, 
into  the  river. 

Ringlets  had  fired  at  the  puff  of  smoke. 

The  young-  seout  turned  to  receive  the 
thanks  tendei'ed  him  by  the  commander, 
and  as  he  aid  so  his  ej'es  rested  upon  the 
face  of  the  negro,  Pomp. 

The  latter's  brows  were  wrinkled  in  a 
ferocious  scowl,  for  one  fleeting  second, 
but  changed  to  a  gorgeous  grin  so  quick- 
ly when  he  found  his  superior's  eyes  upon 
him  that  the  latter  was  almost  convinced 
that  the  first  expression  had  been  an 
illusion.  , 

"  ril  test  you,  my  fine  fellow,"  mut- 
Ringlets,  as  he  moved  aft. 

Reaching  the  commander's  side  he 
said: 

"I  believe  I  will  leave  you  now,  sir." 

"  What  do  I  liear?  Why  it  would  be 
perfect  madness  for  us  to  land  you  here." 

"  I  know  it,  sir." 

"  Then  what  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  that  I  will  land  mj'self." 

The  officer  stared  at  him  in  amazement. 

"I  don't  think  I  understand  you." 

"  I  mean,  sir,  that  I  will  swim  ashore 
from  this  point." 

"Worse  and  worse.     Is  the  man  mad?" 

"Not  at  all,  sir;  but  let  me  explain: 
I  have  thought  it  all  over,  sir,  and  have 
about  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
W'juld  be  an  extreme!}'  h.azardous  under- 
taking to  be  set  ashore  anywhere  in  this 
vicinity." 

"Sane  on  one  point  at  least,"  com- 
mented the  officer,  briefly. 

''So  I  propose  to  swim  from  the  steamer 
and  land  rit;ht  in  the  thickest  nest  of 
swampers  1  can  find." 

"Having  a  relapse,"  again  muttered 
the  officer. 

''In  the  meantime  yo,ur  men  are  to 
keep  up  a  rapid  fire  with  rifles  at  me  in 
the  water." 

"  A  complete  mental  wj-eck,"  breaking 
in  upon  him  in  a  sorrowful  tone. 

"  Thus  leading  the  swampers  to  believe 
that  I  am  a  deserter  and  traitor,"' 
finished  the  scout,  coolly. 


12 


PARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


"  Oh!"'  was  all  the  officer  could  say. 
"  What  do  you  think  of  my  plan?" 
"  Excellent.      Farragut     himself  could 
hardly  improve  upon  it. 

"  But  how  about  your  negro  assistant?'' 
"  If  he  can  swim,  and   cares  to   under- 
take    tlie     adventure,    well     and    j?f>od; 
otherwise    he    must  needs  stay  on    the 
Saclie'm." 

Tlie  officer  could  find  no  fault  with 
this  arrangement;  indeed,  it  seemed  to 
be  the  only  way  the  cordon  of  fierce 
swampers  could  be  passed. 

By  the  time  all  preparations  were  made, 
the  steamer  had  arrived  opposite  another 
gang  of  guerrillas,  who  began  a  rapid  fire 
upon  the  steamer. 

Tlie  negro.  Pomp,  had  assented  to  the 
programme  without  hesitation,  much  to 
The  scout's  surprise,  for  he  h5d  imagined 
that  the  dusky,  fraud  would  refuse  to 
trust  his  "  ujake  up"  to  the  water. 

Ringlets  said  nothing,  but  he  resolved 
to  watch  his  companion  closely. 

All  was  now  ready,  and  the  signal  given 
to  start. 

Suddenly  the  watchers  upon  the  bank 
became  aware  that  a  struggle  of  some 
kind  was  taking  place  upon  board  the 
hated  Federal  craft. 
In  a  moment  they  learned  what  it  was. 
Two  men,  a  white  one  and  a  black, 
could  be  seen  struggling  in  the  hands  of 
a  number  of  the  steamer's  crew,  and  a 
moment  later  they  were  seen  to  break 
away  from  their  captors  and  leap  over 
the  .side  of  the  vessel. 

No  sooner  did  their  heads  appear  above 
the  surface  of  the  water,  than  ^  h^lf 
dozen  rifles  belched  forth  from  the  deck 
of  the  steamer,  their  muzzles  directed 
straight  at  .the  heads  of  the  brave  swim- 
mers. 

For  a  few  moments  the  guerrillas 
seemed  undecided  what  course  of  action 
to  pursue,  but  finally  a  sharp  comjiiand 
rung  out,  and  there  followed  such  a 
vicious  discharge  from  the  bank  that  the 
Yankees  seemed  glad  to  withdraw  from 
the  contest. 

In  the  meantime,  Ralph  had  watcljed 
his  companion  closely,  but  he  noted  with 
surprise  that  the  "'negro's''  complexion 
remained  the  same,  though  his  belief  that 
the  other  was  a  fraud  was  by  uo  means 
thereby  shaken. 

At  last  they  reached  the  bank,  but  not 
a  sign  was  seen  of  "their  friends,  the 
enemy."  , 

But  no  sooner  had  Ringlets  gained  a 
footing  than  a  huge  hand  was  thrust  out, 
he  was  seized  by  the  coat  and  jerked 
with  more  force  than  ceremony  over  a 
low  barricade,  and  into  the  midst  of  a 
half  dozen  roughly-dressed  and  beai-ded 
mea. 


His  companion  was  served  in  like 
manner. 

"  Wall,  who  be  you  'lins,  anyhow?"  and 
a  tall,  lanky  individual,  clad  in  coarse 
homespun,  jjeered  into  the  scout's  faca 
shari)ly. 

"  I  be  name  Bezla,  and  I  be  jus'  escape 
from  the  Yankee  survey  steamboat, 
yanda,"  answered  Ringlets,  with  the 
peculiar  drawl  of  the  Creole  quarter. 

Tlie  swamp  leader  seemed  about  to 
further  question  his  strangely  arrived 
guest,  when  he  happened  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  his  companion's  face. 

A  quick  sign  passed  between  the  two, 
and  without  another  word  he  led  the  way 
to  a  large  bush  fire  ,some  distance  froiiii 
the  river. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

UNDER  THE    SYCAMORE. 

"  Hungrj',  I  reckon?"  sententiously  in> 
'  quired  the  leader  of  the  swampers,  as  the 
two  refugees  proceeded  to  dry  their  eloth< 
ing  before  the  cheerful  blaze. 

"Yas,  vary,"  was  the  drawling  reply, 
for  although  he  knew  he  was  suspected, 
the  young  scout  determined  to  carry  out 
the  role  he  had  assumed  as  far  aa 
possible. 

In  a  few  moments  the  two  were  busily 
engaged  in  discussing  an  excellent  fry  of 
fish,  flanked  with  cold  hoe-cake  and  wild 
honej'. 

After  the  meal  was  finished,  and  the 
scout  had  rolled  a  damp  cigarette,  Pomp 
approached  him  with  a  whispered: 

"  I  say,  massa." 

"  Well,  Pomp?" 

"JBe  youse  goin'  to  stay  right  hyar  all 
night?" 

"I  believe  I  will.  Pomp;  for  I  wish  to 
find  out  all  I  can  about  the  positions  of 
the  different  bands  of  swampers  ahead." 

"All  right;  I  tinki  go  wif  de  captain, 
and  meblse  I  find  out  sumfin  er  udder." 

The  captain  was  at  this  moment  mov- 
ing away  from  the  fire  in  the  direction  of 
the  river,  and  Ringlets  nodded  his  con- 
sent. 

A  moment  later  the  two  had  disap- 
peared in  the  thick  undergrowth. 

The  scout  determined  to  follow  them. 

No  one  was  about  to  observe  him  as  he 
rose  carefully,  and  made  his  waj*  with 
much  caution  in  the  direction  taken  by 
the  negro  and  his  companion. 

The  sun  had  alreadj'  set,  and  it  was 
almost  as  black  as  midnight  in  the  great 
swamp. 

The  scout  had  moved  forward  scarcely 
fifty  yards  when  he  became  aware  that 
some  one  was  conversing  in  a  low  tone 
just  ahead  of  him. 

Dropping  upon   his  hands  and  knees, 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


13 


the  scout  moved  forward  with  additional 
caution  until  he  was  near  enough  to 
catch  the  words  of  the  unseen  speakers. 

He  had  no  difBculty  in  recognizing 
them  by  their  voices  as  the  swamp  cap- 
tain and  Pomp. 

The  latter  was  speaking  at  the  mo- 
ment. 

*'  But  I  tell  yer  ther  chief  don't  want 
him  killed.  He  jist  wants  ter  git  his 
hands  on  his  live  body  an'  work  him  fer 
a  gold  mine." 

"Don't  care  a  darn!  I  was  sent  hyar 
to  kill  ev'ry  spy  sent  agin  ther  fort,  and 
I'm  goin'  ter  do  it,  chief  or  no  chief." 

"Remember  yer  brand,  Bruno,  and 
yer  oath  ter  ther  chief," 

These  words  seemed  to  have  some 
effect  upon  the  swamper,  for  there  fol- 
lowed some  moments  of  silence,  broken 
only  by  the  distant  crack  of  a  rifle  now 
and  then  from  the  direction  of  the  river. 

"  That's  all  right,  Argula — I  mean, 
Pomp,  but  this  seems  ter  be  a  sort  of 
private  snap  of  ther  chief's." 

"  Ye're  mistooken  thar,  Bruno.  Thar 
is  several  millions  in  it,  and  they  is  ter 
be  divided  among  ther  band  in  ther  same 
"way  loot  used  ter  be  divided  in  the  old 
band.'' 

"All  right,  then;  but  what  d'ye  want 
me  ter  do?" 

"  Let  the  young  fella  go  along  with  me, 
and  I'll  steer  him  inter  the  chief's  cabin 
afore  soon." 

"All  right.     So  long." 

"  So  long." 

And  the  negro  turned  back  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  fire,  passing  exactly  over 
the  spot  where  the  scout  had  last 
stopped. 

But  when  the  negro"  reached  the  fire  it 
was  to  find  his  superior  curled  up  in  a 
blanket  by  the  fire,  and  an  extinguished 
cigarette  between  his  teeth,  seemingly 
sound  asleep. 

The  negro  gazed  down  upon  the  sleeper 
suspiciously  for  a  moment,  then  shook 
him  gently,  saying: 

"  High,  massa.  We  uns  must  climb 
outen  hyar  right  pert  now,  sah." 

"  What's  the  matter.  Pomp?" 

"I  tink  de  rebs  s'pect  something  am 
wrong,  fo'  de  capting  ask'd  me  jes  lots 
of  questions  'bout  youse,  and  I  done  gib 
him  a  long  ghost  story  'bout  how  you 
war  captured  by  the  Yanks  while  you 
was  spyin'  on  deir  gun-boats  down 
riber." 

The  young  scout  could  not  but  admire 
the  black  rascal's  uncommon  "  gall,"  and 
as  to  get  away  from  his  present  sur- 
roundings was  just  what  he  wanted  to 
accomplish,  he  proposed  to  humor  the 
other  for  the  time  being,  at  least,  so  he 
replied: 


"You  are  a  sharp  one.  Pomp,  to  bo 
readily  detect  their  opinion  of  us.  But  I 
have  noticed  all  along  that  they  were 
suspicious  of  us,  and  I  agree  with  you 
readily  that  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is 
to  get  out  of  this  at  once." 

"Berry  well,  sah;  and  we  cyarn't  find 
a  better  time  dan  de  present,  fo'  de 
swampers  am  all  at  de  riber  watching  de 
sarvey  boat.     Let's  stai't  right  out  now." 

"  I  am  with  you.  Pomp;  for,  as  we  are 
both  thoroughly  dried  and  our  appetites 
are  saitisfied,  there  is  nothing  here  to 
keep  us." 

Two  minutes  later  they  were  making 
their  way  cautiously,  yet  at  a  good  pace, 
through  the  swamp  in  the  direction  of 
Fort  Jackson. 

The  negro  was  in  the  lead,  but  it  is 
needless  to  say  that  not  a  motion  of  his 
was  lost  to  the  watchful  eyes  of  the 
young  scout. 

For  a  full'hour  the  two  men  made  their 
way  through  the  thick  forest  and  swamp, 
and  Ringlets  was  about  to  advise  bear- 
ing farther  away  from  the  river,  when 
suddenly  the  negro  halted  with  a  half- 
suppressed  ejaculation,  and  both  then 
became  aware  that  a  party  of  men  were 
carefully  approaching  through  the  dark- 
ness. 

"Who  is  it?"  asked  the  scout,  in  a 
whisper. 

"Swampers,"  was  the  low  reply. 
"  They's  comin'  from  de  ole  cabin  to  see 
what  de  firin'  is  for." 

When  the  negro  spoke  of  the  old  cabin 
Ringlets  started. 

It  had  almost  escaped  his  memory,  but 
now  it  was  brought  vividly  before  his 
mind  that  there  was  standing  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  great  swamp  a  lone  cabin 
that  then  bore  none  the  most  enviable 
reputation. 

Nor  was  this  all.  Ringlets  now  re- 
membered the  significant  words  which 
he  had  heard  the  negro  address  to  the 
swamp-captain. 

They  were: 

"  Let  the  young  fella  go  along  with  me 
and  I'll  steer  him  into  the  chief's  cabin 
before  morning." 

When  he  had  first  heard  the  words, 
being  impressed  with  his  adventures 
upon  the  river,  he  had  jumped  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  man  had  f='poken  of 
the  "  cabin  "  of  some  river  craft. 

But  now  he  believed  that  the  cabin  in 
question  was  none  other  than  the  half- 
ruined  log  structure  that  stood  but  a  few 
rods  from  them. 

Of  course  all  this  flashed  through  his 
mind  in  a  fraction  of  the  time  it  takes  to 
read  it,  yet  scarcely  had  the  above  con- 
clusions been  arrived  at  when  the 
swampers  were  all  but  upon  them. 


14 


PARRAGUT,S  SCOUT. 


He  must  act  quickly. 

He  now  had  no  doubt  that  the  bogus 
negro  meant  to  betray  him  into  the 
hands  of  the  inmates  of  the  lone  cabin, 
and  a  half-dozen  of  those  same  inmates 
were  now  before  him. 

In  a  second's  time  his  decision  was 
made. 

Placing  one  hand  upon  his  companion's 
shoulder  to  avoid  any  mistake  in  the 
darkness,  the  young  scout  suddenly 
griped  the  negro  by  the  throat,  and 
pulled  him  quickly  behind  a  giant  syca- 
more close  at  hand. 

And  he  was  just  in  time,  for  an  Instant 
later  the  swampers,  six  in  number, 
stumbled  over  the  very  spot  where  he 
had  last  stood. 

In  a  few  moments  the  danger  was 
passed,  and  loosing  his  hold,  the  scout 
allowed  his  unconscious  prisoner  to  slide 
to  the  damp  earth. 

Hastily  lighting  a  wax  match,  with  a 
supply  of  which  he  was  fortunately  i>ro- 
vided,  the  scout  began  a  diligent  search 
uf  the  other's  pockets. 

Suddenly  he  uttered  a  low  cry,  for  in 
his  hand  he  held  a  letter,  closely  written, 
and  signed  "  Red  Cutlass." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE,    liONE      CABIN. 

The  letter  bore  no  date,  or  other  head- 
ing. 
It  ran  as  fcrilow^: 

"  Argula;  Be  more  than  ever  upon  the 
alert.  Watch- young  R — -—  closely,  and 
let  not  a  word  of  his,  while  in  the  presence 
of  his  superior  officers,  escape  j'ou.  I 
know  him  too  w«H  to  imagine  for  a  mo- 
ment that  he  will  be  content  to  remain 
inactive  on  ship-board.  Watch  all  signs, 
and  the  momerrt.  he  prepares  to  leave  che 
fleet  follow  him,  and  let  him  not  out  of 
your  sight  one  moment  until  you  have 
placed  him  under  my  care,  well  and  un- 
harmed.    Remember  your  brand. 

"Red  Cutlass." 

The  writing'*""^as  plain  enough,  yet 
Ringlets  eontih'ofea  to  stare  at  the  sheet 
as  if  spell-bound,  until  the  match  went 
out. 

This  latter  happened  just  as  the  man 
at  his  feet  uttetvd  afaintgroan  of  return- 
ing consciousnt^,  causing  the  young 
scout  to  start  as  if  fVom  a  dream. 

Several  dotrWrs  which  had  heretofore 
filled  his  mind  were  now  se-t  to  rest. 

He  had  heard  the  story  of  hJ«  father's 
life-history  less  than  a  week  before  from 
the  latter's  own  lips,  and,  while  at  the 
time,  and  ever  since,  for  that    matter,  he 


had  doubted  the  possibility  that  the  once 
noted  pirate.  Red  Cutlass,  could  be  alive 
and  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  that  evi- 
dence was  now  before  him  startlingly 
clear. 

Twice  the  gambler.  Diamond  Jack,  had 
been  seen  following  the  colonel  through 
the  streets  of  the  Crescent  City,  and  once 
he  had  been  discovered  dodging  across 
the  Ringgold  grounds.. 

Upon  the  night  of  the  opening  of  this 
story.  Colonel  Ringgold,  as  before  men- 
tioned, had  I'eeeived  a  note  by  messenger 
appointing  a  meeting  with  '"an  unknown 
friend,"  in  one  of  the  private  parlors  ol 
Fortune's  Hall,  where  he  was  promised 
'' pointers,'"  looking  to  the  discovery  of 
the  gang  who  had  sworn  to  possess  them- 
selves of  the  Ringgold  millions  by  fair 
means  or  foul. 

Without  hesitation,  jet  completely 
upon  his  guard.  Colonel  Ringgold  had 
kept  the  appointment — had  entered  the 
private  parlors  of  the  hall,  and  had  been 
shot  down  by  some  person  concealed  be- 
hind a  curtain  at  one  side. 

The  pistol-shot  causing  an  immediate 
alarm,  a  hasty  search  was  instituted, 
with  the  only  result  of  finding  a  sujall 
door  concealed  by  the  curtain,  opening 
into  a  long  passage  which  led  to  a  lear 
alley  connecting  two  busy  streets. 

Of  course,  under  these  circumstances, 
the  assassin  was  not  found;  but.  taking 
into  consideration  the  signiticant  actions 
of  the  gambler.  Diamond  Jack,  and  the 
fact  that  he  was  a  constant  habitue  of 
Fortune's  Hall,  young  Ringgold  went^ 
direct  from  his  father's  beilside  to  the 
gambling  hall  in  search  of  Diamond  Jack, 
resolved  to  "shadow''  him  with  thehopa 
to  prove  him  the  assassin  of  liis  father, 
but  with  the  result  that  we  have  seen. 

And  now,  as  he  stood  here  beneath  the 
great  sycamore  in  the  heart  of  a  pathless 
swamp,  and  with  the  pirate's  letter  be- 
fore him,  new  and  strange  complications 
rose  to  his  mind. 

If,  as  his  father  had  believed,  and  as 
was  now  evidenced  by  tiie  letter  l>efore 
him,  it  was  Red  Cutlass,  the  ex-pirate, 
who.  was  at  the  bottom  of  the  plot 
against  his  family  and  fortune,  then  the 
dead  gambler  must  be  exonerated  from 
the  suspicious  before  entertained. 

Yet  the  scout  was  not  ready  to 
accept  this  view  of  tiie  matter — the  evi- 
dence was  too  strong  against  Diamond 
Jack. 

And  then  again  he  asked  himself  where 
the  old  Jew,  Siieeny,  came  in. 

He  had  known  the  old  money-lender 
for  several  years,  and  since  his  father's 
return  from  California  the  latter  wa.s 
often  in  private  consultation  witii  the 
Jew,  this  intimacy  having  its   begiuuiiig 


FARRA GUT'S  SCOUT. 


15 


with   settling?  up   young  Ralph's    many 
debts.  • 

Yet  reason  as  he  might,  tlie  young 
scout  could  see  no  eonuectiou  between 
these  three. 

Diamond  Jack  might  possibly  be  in 
league  with  Red  Cutlass;  the  old  Jew 
could  not  possibly  be  connected  with 
either,  for,  on  the  one  hand  he  had 
staked  a  thousand  dollars  against  the 
gambler,  and  afterward,  as  he  secretly 
believed,  had  shot  Diamond  Jack;  and 
on  the  other  hand,  the  only  aim  of  the 
Jew,  that  lie  could  discover,  was  directed 
ai?ainstthe  Federal  fleet  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi. 

He  could  have  no  doubt  of  this  fact, 
for  the  Jew  would  hardly  liave  all  but 
unfolded  a  great  scheme  for  destroying 
the  fleet  had  he  not  such  a  plan  per- 
fected. 

And  now,  tlie  most  perplexing  tangle 
of  The  situation  forced  itself  upon  him. 
Who  was  Red  Cutlass? 
In   his  letter  to  Argula  the   ex-pirate 
had  confessed  that  he  knew   the  young 
scout  well. 

If  such  was  the  case,  and  he  had  no 
cause  to  doubt  it,  he  must  have  seen  the 
noted  buccaneer  many  times,  and  the 
scout  wondered,  having  so  perfected  his 
plans  for  the  seizure  of  the  Ringgold  fort- 
une, as  he  evidently  had,  that  the  pli'ate 
had  not  before  showed  his  hand. 

And  novv,  having  gone  over  the  whole 
ground  in  his  thoughts,  the  scout  was 
even  more  puzzled  than  before,  and  with 
an  impatient  gesture  he  turned  to  look 
after  his  prisoner. 

The  next  moment  Ringlets  uttered  a 
eharp  ejaculation  of  astonishment,  for 
the  negro  was  not  in  the  place  he  had 
beer.  left. 

Forgetful  of  th«  danger  he  ran  in 
making  a  target  of  himself  for  the  other, 
the  scout  lighted  a  second  match  and 
examined  the-ground  in  the  vicinity  of 
sycamore. 

He  soon  discovered  where  his  prisoner 
had  dragged  himself  carefully  away  from 
tlie  foot  of  the  tree  to  where  he  had 
reached  a  dry  ridge,  and  there  the  trail 
ended. 

After  a  brief  search  the  scout  was  forced 
to  give  it  up,  and  turn  his  steps  in  the 
direction  of  the  fort. 

Before  he  liad  proceeded  far  Ringlets 
suddenly  bethought  himself  of  the  "lone 
cabin,"  and  resolved  to  visit  it  with  tlie 
hope  that  he  might  pick  up  something 
of  value,  either  for  the  Federal  com- 
mander or  to  himself. 

He  knew  its  position  well,  and  was  not 
long  in  approaching  it. 

No  one  seemed  to  know  who  placed 
the  structure  there,    with  its   roof  and 


windows  broken,  moss-grown,  and  half- 
buried  in  the  massive,  Spanish  moss 
festoons  depending  from  the  great  syca- 
mores clustered  about. 

The  cabin  was  dark,  silent,  and  evi- 
dently deserted,  and  unhesitatingly,  yet 
cautiously,  the  youi^g  scout  glided 
through  the  sagging  door-way. 

He  listened  a  moment — all  was  still. 

Carefully  igniting-  a  match  Ringlets 
glanced  about  tlie  one  room  of  the  place. 

Bunks,  more  modern  than  the  rest 
of  the  structure,  that  would  ea.sily  ac- 
commodate a  scor«  of  men,  had  been 
built  upon  the  heavy  log  walls,  but  noth- 
ing suggested  that  they  had  lately  been 
used  by  human  beings. 

A  trap  door  in  one  corner  of  the  floor 
next  attracted   Ralph's  attention. 

He  i-aised  it  carefully — then  let  it  fall 
with  a  resounding  bang,  for  just  beneath, 
squirming  and  hissing  with  rage,  were 
scores  and  hundreds  of  snakes,  lizards 
and  giant  tarantulas. 

Ringlets  sat  down  04  oae  of  the  bonksi, 
nerveie^  with"  horror  at  the  sight  and. 
stench  beneath  the  floor. 

After  several  minutes  he  managed  ta 
reach  the  door — then  started  back  pre- 
ciprtately. 

Crouched  outside  upon  the  damp 
earth,  in  the  light  of  a  single  torch,  were 
a  score  of  hideous  black  beings,  each 
with  a  great  deadmoccasin snake  around 
his  neck  or  in  his  hair. 


•  CHAPTER  IX. 

VOODOO    DEMOiSiS. 

The  young  scout  felt  a  sudden  ehill 
rush  over  him,  for  he  realized  that  he 
was  in  a  desperate  positian. 

He  knew  the  meaning  of  the  silent, 
hideous  assemblage  outside  the  ruined 
cabin. 

They  were  V^oodoo  worshipers — the 
most  terrible,  bloodthirsty,  ignorant 
beings  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

It  was  certain  death  in  the  most  horri- 
ble, possible  manner  to  be  caught  within 
sight  or  sound  of  the  fiendish  ceremonies 
that  were  aboat  to  bqgin  before  the  old 
cabin. 

By  the  feeble  light  reflected  into  the 
cabin  from  the  one  torch  set  in  the  midst 
of  the  Voodoos,  the  scout  glanced  quickly 
over  his  surroundings  for  some  means  of 
escape  other  than  by  the  one  door. 

One  small  opening  in  the  rear  wall,  that 
had  probablj'  served  for  a  v/indow,  was 
the  only  aperture  noticeable,  but  it  was 
far  too  small  to  admit  of  his  escape. 

Next  he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
sagging  roof. 

Thei'e,  and  in  plenty,  were  apertures 
that  would  afford  him  means  of  escape. 


l(j 


FAIIRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


But  he  well  knew,  without  farther  in- 
spection, that  the  ruined  roof  would  not 
bear  half  his  weight,  Yet  something 
must  be  done  instantly,  for  already  the 
hoary  old  Voodoo  who  acted  as  priest 
had  kindled  a  bright  blaze  before  the 
door,  and  had  hung  the  blackened  pot 
that  was  to  contain  the  awful,  seething 
feast  of  Voodoo. 

Ringlets  rose  carefully,  and  mounting 
to  the  bunk  above  him,  he  grasped  the 
nearest  of  tiie  heavy  stringers  that  held 
the  crumbling  walls  together. 

There  being  nd  loft  or  attic  to  the 
old  cabin,  these  stringers  were  placed 
some  six  feet  apart,  and  the  scout  must 
step  from  one  to  another  of  these  to  reach 
the  great  rent  in  the  middle  of  the 
cruujbling  roof. 

As  he  pulled  himself  upon  the  first  of 
these  it  creaked  alarmingly,  and  he 
paused  with  bated  breath. 

But  no  notice  seeming  to  have  been 
taken  of  it  by  the  black  worshipers  out- 
siile,  the  young  scout  proceeded  to  step 
gingerly  across  the  black  space  to  the 
next. 

This  act,  though  accomplished  with  all 
caution,  caused  the  entire  structure  to 
tremble  perceptibly,  but  not  daring  to 
pause  now,  lie  kept  on  and  was  soon 
standing  beneath  the  larger  opening  of 
the  roof. 

Scarcely  had  the  scout  reached  this 
position,  when  he  became  aware  of  an 
additional  activity  among  the  assemblage 
outside,  and  to  his  anxiety  the  whole 
gang  arose  from  their  crouching  position 
and  prepared  to  enter  the  old  cabin 
en  may.se. 

It  was  not  that  he  thought  his  move- 
ments had  been  detected  by  the  blacks 
that  the  scout  was  alarmed  at  this  new 
move. 

On  the  contrary,  he  knew  they  would 
enter  the  cabin  as  soon  as  the  pot  over 
the  fire  began  to  boil;  but  having  once 
belore  been  a  concealed  and  very  fright- 
ened spectator  of  a  Voodoo  feast  when  a 
boy,  he  was  certain  that,  in  his  present 
position,  he  would  surely  be  discovered 
at-a  certain  point  in  the  ceremony. 

Ringlets  could  not  repress  a  shudder  as 
the  all  but  nude  negroes  trooped  along 
beneath  linn,  and  paused  in  a  circle  about 
the  closed  trap  in  the  floor,  before  men- 
tioned. 

At  a  sign  from  the  old  patriarch  demon, 
who  was  the  leading  spirit  in  these  mid- 
night orgies,  the  remainder  of  The  gang 
set  up  a  low  crooning  sound  that  rapidly 
gathered  volume  with  the  ever  accelerat- 
ing movement  of  their  black  bodies,  and 
begun  circling  about  the  trap  in  the  most 
grotesque  and  torturing  manner. 

Louder  and  louder  rose  the   wailing  of 


the  blacks.  Faster  and  faster  their  black 
bodies  whirled  about  the  close-shut  trap, 
causing'the  lone  cabin  to  tremble  warn^ 
ingly,  until  every  moment,  it  seemed  to 
the  crouching  man  above,  the  whole  ruin 
would  collapse. 

But  nothing  of  the  kind  occurred;  for 
suddenly,  just  as  the  frenzied  dance  was 
at  its  highe.st  pitch,  the  old  priest,  with 
one  mad  yell,  tore  the  trap  from  its  fasv 
tenings  with  superhuman  strength,  and. 
thrusting  one  !e.!n.  black  arm  far  down 
amid  the  boiling,  hissitigniassof  snakes 
beneath,  he  triumphantly  seized  one  of 
the  largest  by  the  neck  and  waved  it 
madly  above  his  head. 

Then,  one  after  another,  the  shrieking 
demons  followed  the  example  of  their 
priest,  until  all,  some  twenty-five  in  num- 
ber, were  whirling  about  the  ruined 
cabin,  each  with  a  slimy,  fiery-eyed  snake 
wriggling  and  hissing  above  his  head. 

This  was  the  moment  the  young  scout 
should  have  taken  to  attempt  an  escape 
by  way  of  the  rotted  roof,  for,  no  doubt 
in  the"  hideous  racket  the  blacks  were 
making  he  could  have  escaped  unde- 
tected. 

But  a  strange  fascination  of  the  awful 
spectacle  just  below  chained  him  just  too 
long  to  the  spot  where  he  stood. 

After  the  capture  of  the  serpents,  as 
here  depicted,  the  Voodoos,  generally, 
next  crouch  wherever  they  happen  to 
pause,  at  a  signal  of  their  priest,  and 
with  faces  and  arms  uplifted,  jabber 
forth  their  unintelligible  prayers  to  their 
demon-god,  Voodoo. 

Suddetrly,  and  just  as  the  young  scout 
had  succeeded  in  throwing  off  thestrange 
spell  that  had  bound  him  to  the  spot, 
preparatory  to  test  the  crumbling  rooi 
with  his  weight,  this  last  signal  was  given, 
and  the  crowd  dropped  to  their  kfjcea 
with  uplifted  faces. 

This  ceremony  seems  to  be  a  turning 
point  CO  their  first  frenzy,  and  is  followed 
directly  by  the  ceremony  (5f  dumping  the 
dead  and  live  snakes  into  the  boiling  pot, 
and  afterward  working  themselves  into  a 
second  mad  state,  in  which  they  deliber- 
ately  devour  the  awful,  reeking  mess. 
But  this  night  the  horrible  ceremony  waa 
destined  not  to  be  carried  out. 

Ringlets  recognized  the  signal,  having 
heartl  it  once  before,  and  realizing  that 
his  life  depended  upon  the  most  prompt 
action,  he  gave  a  convulsive  leap  upward, 
and  threw  his  arms  over  the  edge  of  the 
aperture  in  the  roof. 

Although  he  was  at  once  discovered,  as 
was  evidenced  by  the  frightened  howl 
that  rose  from  below  him,  the  young 
scout  might  yet  have  made  good  his  es- 
cape had  he  not,  in  the  darkness,  over- 
looked the  fact  that  just  above  the  hole 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


1' 


in  the  roof,  and  depending?  from  an  over- 
hanging sjcamore,  was  a  hufje  mass  of 
Spanish  moss,  holding  in  its  tangled  em- 
brace a  heavy,  broken  limb. 

And  with  this  limb,  as  he  leaped  up- 
ward, his  liead  came  in  contact  with 
stunning  force. 

The  sliock  caused  by  this  incident  was 
more  than  the  decayed  board  he  grasped 
could  sustain,  and  down  it  came  bearing 
the  doomed  scout  with  it. 

Barely  had  he  touched  the  floor  when 
the  frenzied  blacks  seized  him,  and 
though  half-stunned  by  the  blow  upon 
his  head,  combined  with  his  fall,  the 
scout,  knowing  his  life  hung  in  the  bal- 
ance, fought  like  a  demon  for  freedom. 

But  what  could  one  man  do  against 
twenty? 

The  battle  was  soon  over,  and  though 
a  half-dozen  of  the  black  fiends  were 
stretched  senseless  upon  the  reeking 
floor,  the  young  scout  was  a  prisoner. 

Even  before  the  old  Voodoo  priest  ut- 
tered his  sentence,  Ringlets  knew  what 
his  fate  was  to  be,  yet  he  uttered  a  groan 
of  horror  as  the  muscular  blacks  raised 
him  above  the  awful  trap  still  standing 
open. 

For  one  awful  moment  the  younir  Fed- 
eral scout  hung  suspended  over  that  hor- 
rible pit,  tlien  the  black  demons  loosed 
their  hold. 

Not  for  an  instant  had  the  scout  lost 
his  head,  and  when  he  felt  himself  falling 
he  threw  out  Vioth  hands,  one  grasping 
the  hideous  old  Voodoo  priest,  the  other 
seizing  one  of  the  biac):s  that  had  just 
sprung  back  after  releasing  him. 

A  shriek  of  horror,  as  the  old  priest 
sunk  into  the  serpent  nest,  then  Ringlets 
was  jerked  to  the  floor  of  the  old  cabin, 
just  as  a  vivid  sheet  of  flame  enveloped 
the  ruined  structure. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A    UNION    CHEER. 

A  moment  later  the  scout  found  him- 
self in  the  open  air,  having  been  fairly 
forced  outside  by  the  terrified  rush  of 
the  blacks. 

Once  outside,  the  negroes  regained 
some  of  their  scattered  wv;ts,.an.l  were  onr 
the  point  of  making  the  scout  a  prisoner, 
when  a  most  horrible  object  rushed  from 
the  old  cabin  and  put  to  flight  'their  last 
thought  of  vengeance. 

It  vvas  the  old  Voodoo  demon,  but 
none  of  his  followers  could  have  recog- 
nized him  by  sight,  for,  depending  from 
his  hands,  arms,  face,  and  every  other 
portion  of  his  body,  were  scores  of  wrig- 
gling snakes. 

One  glance  at  the  dread  object  rushing 


toward  them,  and  the  negroes  fled  frotu 
the  scene  with  all  haste,  leaving  their 
priest  to  the  fate  wliich  he  so  richly 
deserved. 

And  the  scout  did  not  linger;  for,  hap- 
pening to  glance  beyf)nd  the  doomed 
Voodoo,  he  saw,  just  ilisappearing  into 
the  depths  of  the  swamp  a  form  he  at 
once  recognized. 

It  was  the  man  Arguia,  or  Pomp,  and 
Ringlets  sped  away  in  his  wake  with  all 
haste. 

There  was  nmv  no  doubt  in  the  sccmt's 
mind  as  to  wlio  had  fireil  the  old  cabin. 

Who  could  have  done  it  but  ArgulaV 

For  some  distance  the  r'.tt.^ction  from 
the  burning  cabin  lit  his  path,  and  soon 
the  scout  h'Ul  the  satisfaction  of  discov- 
ering the  object  of  his  chase  but  a  short 
distance  ahead. 

Ic  would  require  all  his  tact  to  keep  in 
sight  the  form  ahead  witliout  himself 
being  discovered,  but  this  the  scout  re- 
solved to  attempt,  for  the  other  was  mak- 
ing as  direct  as  possible  toward  the  Con- 
federate stronghold — Fort  Jackson. 

As  he  advanced,  the  undertaking  be- 
came more  and  more  difificult;  for.  as 
they  left  the  range  of  light  from  the 
burning  cabin,  Ringlets  was  compelled 
to  draw  nearer  his  man. 

But  luckily,  no  accident  occurred,  and 
at  last  the  walls  of  the  fort  rose  out  of 
the  gloom  before  thein. 

Just  as  the  man  began  making  his  way 
over  the  cleared  space  that  surrounded 
the  fort,  the  morning  light  began  steal- 
ing up  over  the  dense  swamp  timber  to 
the  east,  but  still  the  two  kept  straight 
on,  and  at  last  they  stood  beneath  the 
very  walls  of  the  fortification. 

The  negro,  for  he  had  not  as  yet  re- 
moved his  artificial  "complexion,"  was 
upon  the  point  of  raising  his  hand  to  his 
lips,  probably  togiveasignal,  forthey  had 
long  since  been  seen  from  the  fort,  when 
a  startled  exclamation  was  forced  to  his 
lips  by  a  hand  being  unexpectedly  laid 
upon  his  arm. 

He  turned  quickly,  then  started  back 
mechanically,  for  before  him  stood  tiie 
form  of  Farm  gut's  scout. 

"You!"  gasped  the  startled  man. 

"Why,  of  course,  my  dear  Pomp,"  w'as 
the  quiet  reply.  "But  what  possessed 
you  to  run  away  from  me  in  the  manner 
you  did,  alter  saving  my  life  in  that 
adroit  manner,  too?'' ' 

A  puzzled  expression  settled  upon  the 
man's  face  as  the  two  continued  to  gaze 
at  each  other. 

But  the  innocent  expression  upon  the 
young  scout's  face  never  changed. 

"I  might  return  the  compliment  by 
asking  why  you  nearly  choked  tlie  life 
out  of  me  back  there  in  the  swamp.'' 


]S 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


The  voung  scout  had  expected  some- 
Tliiijg  of  this  kind,  so  was  not  wholly  un- 
prei>ared. 

He  readily  answered: 

"Well,  I  will  tell  you,  Ponip;  when  I 
heard  you  speak  of  the  old  cabin,  \Vhich, 
I  have  heard,  is  never  -approached  by 
any  but  Voodoo  woi-shipers,  and  heard 
you  say  that  the  party  approaching  were 
from  the  old  cabin,  aud  you  being  a 
negro,  too,  a  strange  idea  assailed  me 
that  you  had  led  me  there  to  become  the 
victim  of  those  demons,  and  later,  when 
the  crowd  came  with  kettle  and  snakes, 
1  was  more  convinced  of  the  fact  than 
before.  But  after  the  prompt  manner  in 
which  you  saved  me  from  their  clutches, 
I  can  only  ask  you  to  pardop  me  for  the 
unjust  suspicions  I  have  held  against 
you.     Will  you  do  this?" 

In  such  an  hoiiest  tone  was  this  spoken 
that  the  man  was  thrown  completely  off 
his  guard. 

It  was  evident  that  he  had  not  yet  dis- 
covered the  loss  of  the  note  containing 
the  instructions  from  Red  Cutlass,  for  a 
second  agi^ement  of  peacej  was  soon 
patched  up. 

Of  course  Ringlets  could  not  tell 
whether  his  talehad  made  the  desired 
impression  upon. the  other,  for  it  was 
equally  the  interest  of  each  to  be  at 
peace  with  the  other  for  the  time  being; 
so,  naturally,  Argula  would  refrain  from 
pressing  his  inquu'ies  too  closely,  and 
thus  aiarm  the  young  man  for  no  pur- 
pose. 

When  Ringlets  intiu)ated  his  intention 
of  entering  the  fort  \vith  the  other,  Ar- 
gula at  first  demurred,  with  the  danger 
for  him  in  the  undertaking  as  his  excuse, 
but  when  the  scout  persisted  the  "ne- 
gro "  at  length  gave  in,  and  they  moved 
forward. 

Ralph  was  perfectly  at  ease  while  thus 
putting  his  head  into  the  jaws  of  the  lion 
as  it  were,  for  he  placed  implicit  confi- 
dence in  the  man's  fidelity  to  the  orders 
of  his  chief. 

And  besides  he  hoped  thus  to  mislead 
tliH  other  into  tliinking  that  he  was  to- 
tally unsuspicious  of  him. 

So  he  followed  his  guide  to  one  of  the 
strongly-guarded  entrances  to  the  fort, 
and  after  a  long  whispered  conversation 
between  Argula  and  .one  of  the  officers  of 
tlie  fort  the  two  were  passed  within. 

Nothing  of  interest  oeeurred  within 
the  fort  for  many  days. 

The  young  scout  picked  up  much  val- 
uable information  concerning  the  de- 
fences and  strength  of  the  fort,  which  he 
reduced  to  cipher,  and  waited  for  an 
opportunity  to  get  his  dispatch  into  Fed- 
eral hands  outside. 

Thus  matters  stood  when  the  momen- 


tous 18th  of  April,  1'862,  the  Hate  cf  the 
beginning  of  the  bombardment  of  Forfc 
Jackson  by  Commander  'Porter's  mortar 
flotilla,  arrived. 

At  an  earl^' hour  of  that  date,  a  man, 
evidently  a  ""swamper,"  was  discovered 
hurrying  toward  the  fort,  almost  at  a 
run. 

No  sooner  was  the  man  inside  the  walls 
than  he  was  surrounded  by  a  knot  ox 
officers,  precluding  any  possibility  of  hU: 
news  becoming  genei'al,  should  such  r, 
thing  be  desirable. 

But  one  there  was  who  heard  ever/ 
word  the  man  spoke. 

It  was  Farragufs  seoat. 

And  the  man  certainly  bore  startlin 
information. 

Farragufs  fleet  was  getting  into  •posi 
tion  just  below  the  bend  of  the  river,  anc. 
the  bombardmLent  was  sure  to  commen.e> 
in  a  short  time. 

Hardly  had  the  words  left  his  lips  wbe: 
there  came  a  heavy  report  from  the  east 
followed  by  the  piercing  shriek  of  a  shell, 
and    the  next  moment    a    black  objec 
whizzed    past    their    heads    and    buried 
itself  in   the  earthern   barricade  iu  the 
center  of  the  fort. 

A  pause  of  one  single  instant,  then  r 
volcano  of  fire  arose  froju  the  spot,  hurl- 
ing earth  and  stones  for  yards  around, 
and  the  first  Union  shell  had  burst  inside 
the  Confederate  sti'onghold. 

The  next  moment  a  strange  event  oo- 
curred. 

A  man  siprung  into  view  from  beneath 
a  pile  of  rubbish  close  to  where  the  group 
of  officers  was  standing,  and  throwing' 
liis  hat  into  the  air  he  yelled: 

"Three  Gheers  for  the  red,  white  and 
blue.     Hip!   Hurrah!   Hurrah!   Hurrah!" 

One  instant  the  .gray-clad  warriors 
around  stood  in  horrified  amazement  at 
the  sound  of  that  true  Union  cheer,  then 
they  closed  up  silently,  and  Farragufs 
scout  was  a  prisoner.  ' 

Ten  minutes  later  he  was  the  lone  in- 
mate of  a  small  wooden  cell  with  no.hope 
of  escape,  surrounded  by  enemies,  and 
every  moment  expecting  death  at  the 
hands  of  his  own  friends  by  the  aid  c 
their  deadly  bombs. 


CHAPTEK  XI. 

THROUGH  TTIKE  AjS!»  FliOOD. 

Young  Ringgold  could  hardly  have  ei^ 
pected  any  other  result  to  the  vociferous 
elieer  he  had  uttered  than  what  had 
taken  place;  yet  he  had  enjoyed  the  free- 
dom of  the  fort  for  so  many  days  that  he 
experienced  something  of  a  shock  to  find 
himself  at  this  late  day  the  lone  inmate 
of  a  gUiir<M!on!?e. 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


L9 


But  he  had  one  thought  to  comfort  him. 

lu  the  short  silence  vvhicli  followed  his 
wild  hurrah,  as  seen  in  the  last  chapter,the 
scout  was  positive  that  he  had  heard  the 
cheer  echoed  by  a  half-dozen  different 
throats  from  as  many  different  points 
within  the  fort. 

It  was  well-known  to  the  officers  of  the 
Federal  squadron  that  among-  the  seven 
hundred  men  witVin  the  fort  there  were 
many  whosie  feelings  were  with  the  ]S^orth, 
but  who  had  joined  tlie  garrison  to  allay 
suspicion,  and  to  escape  fighting  as  man 
to  man  against  their  brothers  in  blue, 
they  feeling  sure  that  no  naval  com- 
mander would  be  sorecklessas  to  attempt 
running  the  gauntlet  of  the  two  forts. 

Tims,  feeling  sure  that  friends  were 
near,  Ringlets  waited  patiently  "for 
something  to  turn  up." 

As  lie  sat  within  his  narrow  cell,  the 
young  scout  could  hear  the  tliunder  and 
pound  of  the  iieavy  moriars  from  below 
the  big  bend,  and  feel  the  deadly  con- 
cussion of  their  bursting  shells,  but  no 
one  came  near  him,  and  nothing  occurred 
of  special  import  until  the  approach  of 
night. 

Then,  of  a  sudden,  the  monotony  of 
his  existeiice  was  changed  with  startling 
abruptness. 

Closer  and  closer,  as  the  daj'  waned, 
hatl  the  terrible  projectiles  dropped  to 
the  lone  cell  of  the  young  scout,  when  at 
last  came  a  more  awful  shriek  than  all, 
followed  by  a  concussion  tliat  threw  hiui 
flat  upon  the  floor,  then  a  terrible 
eruption  of  the  building  next  him,  and 
he  was  surrounded  by  llaiiies. 

A  shell  had  fallen  wirii  great  precision 
amid  the  wooden  buildings  at  the  rear 
of  the  fort,  and  in  <a  few  mojnents  they, 
as  well  as  the  citadel  near,  were  wrapped 
in  fierce  flames. 

The  scout  was  not  hurt,  and  but  little 
stunned  by  the  concussion  of  the  bursting 
shell,  but  he  almost  wished  he  had  been 
placed  beyond  the  power  of  feeling,  fur 
in  an  astonishingly  short  time  the  iiames 
had  reached  the  guard-house,  and  he  felt 
that  he  was  being  slowly  roasted. 

But  only  to  add  to  his  peril  a  second 
shell  came  crashing  through  the  roof  of 
tiie  very  building  he  occupied,  and  he 
sunk  senseless  to  the  floor. 

When  at  last  he  did  open  his  eyes,  it 
was  hut  to  close  them  again  quickly  to 
shut  out  the  horror  of  his  position. 

The  guard  house  was  almost  a  complete 
wreck,  tor  the  sliell  had  passed  completely 
through  it  and  burst  but  a  sliort  distance 
beyond,  but  furthermore  the  scout  found 
himself  pinned  to  the  floor  by  a  heavy 
beam  which  placed  him  beyond  all  power 
to  escape  death,  as  the  flames  would  be 
*?ating  into  his  flesh  in  a  few  moments. 


Again  and  again  he  calkd  loudly  for 
help,  for  his  owrj  limbs  were  powerless, 
but  the  thunder  of  the  fort's  ordinance, 
and  the  detonations  of  the  bursting 
Union  shells  swallowed  the  sound  of  his 
voice  within  a  dozen  yards. 

And  now  the  flames  drew  closer.  They 
were  running  up  the  shattered  sides  of 
the  guard-house,  along  its  broken  floor, 
and  were,  eating  into  the  very  beam  that 
held  the  young  scout  prisoner. 

Closer  and  closer  they  crept  along  the 
dry  timber  until  at  last  a  cinder — two — 
three — a  half-dozen  of  them — fell  upon 
the  prostrate  man. 

A  moment  they  smoulder  upon  the 
thin  cotton  barrier,  then  drop  further — 
to  the  quivering  ilesh  beneath. 

A  Uioment  the  young  scout  struggles 
silently,  then  shrieks  aloud  in  agony,  tor 
his  clothes — the  floor,  and  all  about  him 
is  wrapped  in  a  sheet  of  lire. 

This  cannot  last  long.  Already  he 
feels  the  lire  in  his  brain  and  he  knows 
he  is  going  mad. 

But  what  sound  i's  that? 

He  has  heard  it  for  a  moment  past. 

It  is  but  a  last  phantasy'  of  his  melting 
brain,  or  can  it  really  be  the  gurgle  ol 
running  water. 

Impossible!    For   h<e    is    more    than 
hundred  yards  from  the  river. 

Suddenly  the  scout  utters  an  involun- 
tary shout;  for,  dashing  over  a  pile  of 
rubbish  behind  him  comes  a  sheet  of 
cool  spi-ay,  and  the  flames  nearest  him 
subside  with  a  sort  of  despairing  hiss. 

Tiie  shower  of  spray  was  quickly  fol^ 
lowed  by  a  tiny  stream  that  rapidly 
gained  in  volume,  and  soon  he  was  forced 
to  lift  his  head  to  escape  drowning. 

\'et  tije  element  felt  so  deliciously  cool 
to  his  scorchcii  flesh  that  for  some  mo- 
ments he  never  save  a  thought  to  the 
peril  tli»it  menaced  him.  •  ' 

But  wheti  at  lu^^t  the  water  swashed 
into  his  face  in  spite  of  every  effort  to 
escape  it,  a  sudden  conviction  flashed 
over  him  that  sent  a  ciiill  to  his  Ijeart. 

The  bursting  Federal  shells  had  broken 
the  levee  beyond  the  fort. 

He  had  no  further  time  for  speculation, 
for  at , this  moment  a  perfect  deluge  of 
muddy  water  poured  into  the  ruined 
guard-house. 

He  had  just  time  to  give  utterance  to  a 
last  cry  for  help  when  the  yellow  current 
poured  over  him. 

But  fortunately  that  last  cry  was  heard, 
otherwise  this  history  would  never  have 
been  written. 

A  gray-clad  form  sprung  quickly  into 
the  ruin,  a  hasty  glance  was  cast  about, 
then  two  muscular  hands  seized  the 
heavy  beam  and  slung  it  aside. 

The  next  moment  the  young  scout  was 


20 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


Bnatched,  half-strangled,  from  his  living 
grave,  and  grasped  his  preserver  by  the 
hand. 

"Ouirlvnall!" 

"  Kinglets!" 

Tiie  two  had  been  almost  inseparable 
chums  there  in  the  city  before  the  war, 
and  had,  until  this  moment,  seen  or  heard 
nothing  of  each  otlier  for  nearly  a  year. 

The  story  of  each  was  now  quickly  told. 

Quirknall  had  joined  the  garrison  of 
Fort  Jackson  to  escape  going  North  with 
the  Confederate  forces,  and  was  .  at  this 
moment  making  an  attempt  to  escape  to 
the  Federal  squadron  down  the  river,  for 
he  had  ever  been  a  LFnionist  through  and 
through. 

This  was  just  the  opportunity  the 
scout  had  been  looking  for. 

Here  was  a  trusty  messenger  to  take 
his  dispatches  to  his  superior. 

"  Sorry  to  disappoint  you.  Ring,"  an- 
nounced the  young  ex-Confederate,  when 
the  proposition  was  made  him,  "but  1 
am  forced  to  decline  the  honor  of  visiting 
Commander  Porter  this  evening." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Quirk?  You 
haven't  turned  rebel  again,  have  you?" 

"Not  to  any  great  extent;  but  I'm  not 
going  down  the  river  just  now." 

"  But  I  understood  you  to  say  you 
were." 

''Well,  upon  second  thought  I  have 
decided  to  go  elsewhere." 

"  And  where  are  you  going  now?" 

"  With  you.  I  have  always  wanted  to 
hunt  pirates,  and  I  cannot  let  the  oppor- 
tunity pass  to  get  a  jab  at  this  Red  Cut- 
lass, whoever  be  is." 

"  But  my  dispatches?" 

"  They  shall  be  in  Admiral  Farragut's 
hands  before  morning.  Come  this  way," 
and  the  young  man  led  his  companion  to 
a  retired  spot,  then  beckoned  to  a  soldier 
some  distance  away.  « 

"Mike,  do  you  want  to  get  to  the  Yan- 
kee gunboats  down  river?" 

"Be  jabers!  an'  does  a  baby  want 
milk?" 

"  Very  well;  if  you  will  promise  to  get 
these  papers  into  the  hands  of  the  Yan- 
kee commander  before  morning,  we  will 
help  you  to  escape  outside  the  fort." 

"Botheharrup  av  ould  Tara!  Ther 
capfiuii:  shall  have  the  papers  inside  av 
ten  minutes,  so  he  will." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE. 

Farragut  could  not  doubt  the  evidence 
of  his  scout's  dispatch,  but  he  found  it 
hard  to  believe,  as  the  Irishman 
vehemently  affirmed,  that  the  fort  was 
both  afire  and  flooded;  that  most  of  the 


guns  were  idle  in  consequence  of  the 
doors  of  the  magazine  being  blocked  up, 
and  that  the  garrison  was  upon  the 
point  of  mutinying. 

Of  the  latter  facts.  Ringlets  had  no 
way  to  advise  the  flag  officer  by  writing, 
but  had  coached  the  Irishman  with  the 
details  until  the  latter  had  them  by 
heart. 

And  thus  it  was  that  4he  very  volubility 
and  vehemence  with  which  the  son  of 
Ireland  delivered  his  well-learned  ad- 
dress, caused  a  doubt  to  arise  in  the 
mind  of  the  old  naval  officer  as  to  its 
authenticity. 

But  for  the  obstructions  placed  across 
the  river  below  the  forts  by  the  Confed- 
erates, an  attempt  would  at  this  time 
have  been  made  to  pass  the  Union  fleet 
up  the  river;  and  its  success  would  have 
been  certain,  as  we  are  assured  by  Colo- 
nel Higgins  himself,  who  at  the  time  was 
in  command  of  the  defenses  of  Fort 
Jackson. 

But  the  obstruction  just  mentioned 
must  be  removed,  and  for  this;  reason 
two  steamers,  thePinola,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Crosby,  and  the  Itasca, 
Lieutenant  Caldwell,  were  detailed,  and 
placed  under  the  direction  of  chief-of- 
staflf,  Captain  Bell. 

In  the  meantime  the  young  scout  and 
his  able  companion  had  not  been  idle. 
Once  outside  the  fort  they  had  found 
their  attention  fully  occupied  with  keep- 
ing clear  of  the  innumerable  swampers 
that  overrun  the  vicinity,  and  so  slow 
was  their  progress  that  not  until  the 
night  of  the  20th  of  April  did  they  reach 
the  river.  ' 

The  young  dcout  had  aimed  to  come 
out  at  a  point  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the 
river  obstructions,  and  in  this  he  was 
fortunately  successful. 

It  was  just  as  the  dusk  was  gathering 
over  river  and  swamp  that  the  two  fugi- 
tives crept  up  the  river  bank,  to  di.seover 
just  above  them  the  line  of  schooner- 
rafts  which  oftered  such  a  formidable 
obstacle  to  the  advance  of  the  Federal 
fleet  of  gun  boats. 

"Well,  now  that  you  have  got  here, 
what  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?"  asked 
Quirknall,  first  breaking  the  silence. 

"  Board  them,"  was  the  brief  ai?.swer. 

"Board  them!     Board  what?" 

"  Whj%  that  rebel  schooner-raft  ob- 
structions, of  course." 

"  Get  out!    You  can't  do  it,  Ring." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Why,  if  you  escaped  being  picked  off 
by  the  swampers,  you  would  be  seen  from 
the  fort,  and  knocked  into  smithereens 
by  a  round-shot." 

"You  are  excited.  Quirk:  of  course  I 
shall  not  attempt  to  reach  th^  raft   until 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


31 


darkness    has    fallen.     But    reach    it    I 
mu.'^t,  or  become  allifjator  meat." 

"That's  what  you  will  probably  be 
before  morning.  But  why  this  anxiety 
to  reach  the  raft." 

"I'll  tell  you.  Quirk;  I'm  going  to  at- 
tempt breaking  the  raft  before  Farra- 
gut's  men  make  the  effort." 

"Great  Scott!  But  you  can't  do  it, 
you  know." 

"Don't  be  too  sure,  Quirk.  I  am 
positive  I  can  work  the  racket  with  your 
help." 

"Oh,  ho!  Then  I  am  figured  in  it, 
eh?" 

"  Why,  of  course;  I  had  depended  upon 
you.     But  if  you  don't  want  to " 

"Hold!  If  you  value  my  friendship, 
pause,"  interrupted  Quirknall,  with  a 
tragic  wave  of  his  hand.  "Though  sep- 
arated by  the  space  of  the  earth,  I  will 
still  be  found  at  your  side." 

The  young  scout  could  not  suppress  a 
broad  grin  at  the  other's  odd  conceit, 
and  rising,  said: 

"Very  well,  then;  it  is  now  dark  enough 
for  our  purpose,  and  not  wishing  to  be 
stretched  the  length  of  the  earth,  we 
will  grasp  hands  so  as  not  to  be  again 
separated  in  the  darkness,  and — forward! 
Marcli!" 

The  obstruction  in  question  was  com- 
posed of  several  schooners  extending 
from  the  left  bank  almost  across  the 
river,  anchored,  and  comaected  by  a  huge 
2able. 

It  was  a  desperate  and  hair-brained 
undertaking  which  the  young  scout  had 
set  himself  the  task  of  performing; 
for,  even  should  he  reach  the  schooners, 
it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to  sever 
the  great  cable  without  the  necessary 
tools. 

But  as  we  have  seen  when  once  his 
mind  was  set  upon  a  thing  he  did  not 
hesitate  long. 

Tlie  schooners  did  not  approach  for 
souie  distance,  up  the  shore  upon  which 
the  two  stood,  but  nothing  daunted 
Ringlets,  followed  promptly  by  his 
friend,  slipped  quietly  into  the  yellow 
current  and  struck  out  for  the  nearest 
craft. 

It  was  alon^  swim- for  being  so  straight 
across  the  current,  but  at  length  the 
two  fcwiujiners  drew  themselves  over  the 
side  of  the  nearest  vessel  and  looked 
about. 

"  Well,  here  you  are;  now  lam  waiting 
to  see  you  burst  that  little  chain,"  an- 
nounced Quirknall. 

"  This  IS  not  the  proper  place  to  do 
that." 

"We  must  get  out  into  the  current 
more."  ' 

"Oh,  I    see!   It  was   too  easy  getting 


this  far,  and  you   are  seeking  more  ex- 
citement?" 

"x^otatall;  but  our  work  will  be  all 
the  easier  if  we  liave  the  current  to  help 
us,  you  know.     Still  if  you  don't  care  to 

go  on " 

"Oh,  pause  not  on  my  account.  Why, 
do  you  know,  I  liave  been  longing  with 
all  my  might  for  two  days  to  get  ou^;  on 
this  raft  where  the  light  from  the  blazing 
fort  can  play  up  and  down  my  noble  brow 
and  be  shot  at  by  my  friends,  the  Rebs." 
"Your  wants  shall  presently  be  at- 
tended to,  my  bold  and  ragged  com- 
panion, if  I  have  to  steal  a  Johnnie  to  do 
it.  Here  goes."  and  Ringlets  began  mak- 
ing his  waj'  swiftly  along  the  sagging 
cable  toward  the  second  schooner,  which 
was  at  last  reached  in  safety. 

In  this  manner  the  dangerous  journey 
was  completed,  and  they  had  passed 
mid-stream  and  were  ready  to  begin 
operations. 

By  good  luck  a  heavy  ax  had  been 
found  upon  the  deck  of  one  of  the 
schooners,  and  with  this  Quirknall  Avas 
to  attempt  severing  the  anchor  chain  of 
this  one,  while  Ringlets  proceeded  to  the 
second  craft  beyond  to  make  a  like  at- 
tempt there. 

As  Ringlets  was  disappearing  over  the 
side  of  the  next  craft,  Quirknall  called, 
with  a  serio-comic  wave  of  the  hand: 

"Adieu,  most  noble  Anthony;  adieu. 
Yon  blazing  fort  may  burst  its  banks  and 
o'erwhelm  you;  this  mighty  river  may 
blow  up  and  knock  your  hat  off;  but  by 
yon  pale  moon,  I  swear  to  avenge  you  if 
it  takes  a  whole  dollar." 

With  a  hearty  laugh  at  the  high-fiown 
speech  of  his  companion.  Ringlets  disap- 
peared from  view,  and  little  idea  had 
either  of  the  many  days  that  should 
elapse  before  they  niet  again. 

In  the  meantime  Quirknall  worked  on, 
and  it  seemed  that  success  would  at  last 
deign  to  smile  upon  his  efforts,  for  quite 
an  impression  had  been  made  upon  the 
stout  cable,  when  suddenly  he  became 
aware  that  ft  strange,  unlooked-for  sound 
was  coming  up  the  river. 

He  listened  a  moment.  Yes,  there  it 
was  again,  the  unmistakable  pulsation  of 
an  engine  and  the  throb  of  a  propeller. 

Quirknall  could  not  doubt  that  friends 
were  approaching;  or  if  such  did  exist  in 
his  mind,  they  were  quickly  dispelled  by 
the  arrival  upon  the  scene  of  tiie  Pinola 
and  Itaska. 

Before  the  wrecking  crews  of  these 
steamers  were  hardly  at  work  upon  the 
obstruction,  both  forts  opened  fire  u^Don 
them,  but  notwithstanding  this  fact  the 
work  was  begun  with  a  will,  while  Quirk- 
nall, with  two  others,  started  in  search  of 
the  young  scout. 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


But,  strange  to  rela,te,  not  a  inark — not 
a  sij;u  was  there  found  to  show  that 
younj?  Riii^'{?ol(i  had  ever  been  ^.board 
the  schooner-raft. 

Thanks  to  Quirknall's  previous  efforts, 
the  obstruction  was  removed  before  any 
damage  was  done  the  steaujers  by  the 
fort  fire,  and  tiie  youngman  turned  sadly 
down  stream  with  tliem. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

RED  CUTLASS  AT  LAST. 
Ringlets  reached  the  schooner  without 
mishap,  but  i)ere  he  paused  in  perplexity, 
for,  without  tools  of  even  the  most  rude 
style,  he  could  never  accomplish  his  ob- 
ject. 

But  for  some  time  j^ast,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  young  scout  had  very  success- 
fully depended  upon  chance  to  solve  the 
difficulties  ever  arising  in  his  path,  and 
he  hoped  that  the  present  instance  would 
not  prove  an  exception. 

It  was  just  possil)le  that  a  maul,  or 
crowbar,  or  some  like  implement  might 
have  been  left  behind  by  the  Confederate 
workmen  after  completing  the  obstruc 
tion,  and  the  scout  decided  to  make  a 
tour  of  the  schooner. 

With  this  object  in  view,  he  stepped 
quickly  aft  to  where  he  discovered 
through  the  gloom  some  shining  object 
upon  the  deck. 

But  just  as  the  scout  stooped  to  pick 
up  the  object,  he  made  a  startling  dis- 
covery. 

Instead  of  the  bright  piece  of  metal  he 
took  it  to  be  in  the  darkness,  he  quickly 
discovered,  and  with  much  wonder,  that 
the  "shiner"  was  no  more  nor  less  than 
a  large  crack  in  the  deck  through  which 
shone  a  steady  glow  from  below. 

Cautiously    Ringlets   bent   down,    and 
applied  his  eye  to  the  crack. 
A  startling  scene  met  his  view. 
It  was  a  small,  half  ruined  ship's  cabin, 
containing  four  men.  • 

The  central  figure  was  that  of  a  man 
over  six  feet  in  lieight,  sitting  at  a  table 
upon  which  were  strewn  a  half-dozen 
legal  looking  documents. 

Opposite  him  sat  his  companions,  three 
in  number,  shorter  of  statdre  and  more 
roughly  dressed. 

Eacli  wore  large  hip-boots,  cloaks  and 
tarpaulins,  and  their  faces  wei-e  heavily 
masked. 

But  what  struck  young  Ringgold  the 
most  vividly  was  the  fact  that,  as  tlie 
maskers'  cloaks  were  thrown  back  to  give 
greater  freedom  to  the  movement  of  tlieir 
arms,  there  was  disclosed  beneath,  and 
skillfully  embroidered  upon  the  breasts 
of  their  close-fittiiig  pea-jackets,  each  a 
red  cutlass  crossed  by  a  golden  anchor. 


The  young  scout  almost  gave  vent  to 
an  ejaculation  of  amazement  as  Jiis 
startled  gaze  rested  upon  the^e  significant 
devices. 

At  last — lie  could  not  doubt  it.  Almost 
within  reach  of  his  arm  sat  the  mysterious 
Red  Cutlass.  The  only  man  who  could 
solve  the  mystery  of  his  unfortunate 
mother''s  life. 

Ringlets  continued  to  gaze  upon  thai 
commanding  form  beneath  him  as  if  fas- 
cinated. 

Had  he  ever  seen  the  form  before? 

It  was  not  improbable;  but  there  were 
scores  of  just  such  herculean  forms  within 
the  Crescent  City,  and  try  ns  he  might 
he  failed  to  place  this  one  among  his  aor 
quaintances. 

Recovering  from  hisfirst  astonishment, 
the  scout  suddenly  became  awnre  that 
the  inmates  of  the  cabin  were  holding  a 
low- toned  conversation. 

Placing  his  ear  to  the  aperture  he  was 
greeted  with  these  words  by  the  masked 
chief: 

"Well,  it  is  no  use  to  linger  here.  It 
cannot  be  many  hours  now  befoi-e  the 
cur.>^ed  gang  will  be  up  here  to  break  the 
raft,  and  we  <lorrt  want  to  be  caught 
here  like  rats  in  a  trap.  You  are  now 
each  familiar  with  the  parts  you  have  to 
play  in  our  little  golden  drama,  so  v.-e 
may  as  well  start  city-w;ird.  But  I  wish 
I  knew  to  a  greater  certainty  that  the 
young  heir  wns  dead.  \ou  are  j)ositive, 
Argula,  that  there  was  no  cluince  of  his 
escaping  from  the  burning  gnanl-house?" 

"Very  positive,  ciiief;  for,  as  I  told  you 
before,  I  made  an  attempt  to  gain  the 
burning  building,  but  could  not  on  ac- 
count of  the  heat,  and  just  as  I  turned 
away  I  plainly  heard  a  cry  of  agony  that 
was  most  likely  his  last.  He  is  surely 
out  of  our  way,  chief.'' 

"  Well,  I  hope  so;  and  yet,  it  would  be 
clearer  sailing  if  he  was  once  more  safe 
within  our  hands  for  a  few  hours,  I 
think.  But  now  let  us  go  over  these 
papers  once  n)ore  to,  make  all  sure,  then 
we  will  get  out  of  here." 

These  last  words  gave  the  eager  listener 
a  new  idea. 

How  easy  it  would  be  to  lock  the  four 
masks  in  the  cabin  of  the  schooner  .and 
hold  them  until  the  arrival  of  the  Fed- 
erals, with  Quirknall's  help. 

He  resolved  to   go   after  that  facetious 
young  gentleman  without  delay. 
But  he  did  not. 

Just  as  he  was  upon  the  point  of  rising 
to  his  feet,  a  pair  of  powerful  hands 
gripped  his  throat  from  behind,  and  a 
I'ough  voice  hissed,  close  to  his  ear: 

"Listenin',  eh?  I'll  Jarn  ye  ter  be 
pryin"  inter  folkes  V)izness  this  time  o' 
night,    ye  curly-headed   milksop  dandy. 


FARRA GUT'S  SCOUT. 


yer!"  and  in  spite  of  his  mopt  strenuous 
efforts  tlie  scout  felt  liimself  borx»e  to  the 
vessel's  side,  and  the  next  moaieut  he 
no  doubt  would  have  been  chucked  over- 
board, almost  powerleae  with  strangula- 
tion, .  had  not  sounds  of  the  struf^<xle 
reached  the  cabin  below,  and  brought  its 
inmates  to  the  deck  with  a  rush. 

"Here  Pedro,  what  the  devil  are  you 
doing?  Who  have  you  there?"  growled 
the  cliief,  quickly  advancing  afd  re- 
lieviijg  the  other  of  )ais  prisoner. 

"An  eavesdropper,  chief.  II  rj  was 
spj'in'  into  the  cabin " 

"By  the  soul  of  Neptune, 'tf?.  he,  or 
his  ghost  from  the  flames!"  cried  the 
masked  chief,  who  had  turned  his  cap- 
tive's face  toward  the  light  of  the  fort. 

At  the  same  instant  a  second  masker 
uttered  a  sharp  exclamation  at  the  sight 
of  his  face  and  long  yellow  hair,  and 
Ringlets  knew  him  to  be  Ar-^ula. 

In  the  one  instant  in  whicli  his  identity 
Was  discovered,  the  seoiit  could  no  doubt 
have  made  his  escape  by  leaping  into  the 
dark  river  below. 

But  such  was  by  no  means  his  desire. 

At  last,  as  he  was  quite  positive,  he 
stood  face  to  face  with  that  mysterious 
individual.  Red  Cutlass,  and  he  resolved, 
let  the  danger  be  what  it  might,  to  be- 
come the  captive  of  the  ex-corsair  and 
trust  to  some  lucky  c'nance  to  discover 
his  identity. 

By  the  time  the  scout  had  come  to  this 
conclusion,  the  masked  chief  had  also, 
evidentl}',  arrived  at  a  decision;  for, 
turning  to  the  ma"c.  Pedro,  he  said: 

"  Here,  Pedro,  V.ake  these  manacles 
from  my  pocket  and  slip  them  upon  the 
young  fellow's  wrLsts;  then  get  tlie  boat 
ready  and  we  wiU  get  out  of  this." 

The  mask's  ovuers  were  obeyed  in- 
btantly,  a  thick  eioak  was  thrown  over 
the  scout's  h?fi,cl,  and  he  felt  himself 
lifted,  borne  over  the  side  of  the 
schooner,  and  deposited  in  the  bottom 
of  a  large  j'awl  moored  there. 

The  u»en  followed,  seized  the  oars,  and 
slioved  off. 

For  an  hAur,  he  calculated,  the  rowing 
continued  with  but  one  interruption— 
the  brief  challenge  of  a  sen  try  he  took  it 
to  be — tl)eu  the  boat  was  again  moored; 
the  scout  was  lifted  over  the  side  of  some 
eraft,  and  when  the  hoodwink  was  re- 
moved he  found  himself  in  the  company 
of  the  four  men  he  Lad  discoverea,  and 
in  the  richly-furnished  cabin  of  a  small 
schooner. 

The  four  still  wore  their  masks. 

As  the  chief  seated  himself  apposite 
the  captive  scout,  he  broke  the  silence 
with: 

"  Do  you  know  into  whose  hands  you 
have  fallen,  young  man?" 


"I  think  I  do,  sir,"  was  the  prompt 
reply. 

"And  pray  tell  us  who  you  thinki  am?" 

"Red  Cutlass,  the  Corsair." 

At  these  words  the  masked  chief 
started,  and  a  moment's  hesitation  en- 
sued before  he  next  asked: 

"  When  did  you  learn  of  such  a  person, 
may  I  ask?" 

"A  few  nights  ago,  by  reading  a  letter 
of  instructions  from  him  to  one  Argula." 

"Have  you  lost  the  letter,  Argula?" 
demanded  the  chief. 

"Yes,  but  until  this  moment  I  thought 
I  had  it  safe." 

"Boy,  by  this  confession  you  have 
sealed  your  own  doom!"  cried  the  masked 
chief,  advancing  upon  the  defenseless 
scout  menacingly. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THK   MYSTERIOtTS  DOCUMENT. 

The  bold  eyes  of  the  young  scout  never 
quailed  as  he  met  the  fierce  glances 
shooting  through  the  dark  eyelet  holes 
of  the  mask. 

But  drawing  his  form  up  proudly  the 
young  Federal  scout  answered: 

" Verywell,  sir  mask;  I  have  nothing 
to  say;  for  if  j'ou  are  he  whom  I  suspect 
you  to  be,  I  can  scarcely  expect  you  to  be 
above  slaughtering  a  defenseless  pris- 
oner." 

The  chief  hesitated. 

"You  misunderstand  my  intentions, 
young  man,"  he  finally  said.  "1  am  in  the 
habit  of  giving  my  captives  a  chance  for 
their  lives,  and  I  will  give  j'ou  that 
chance,  if  you  will  try  to  hold  that  tongue 
of  yours." 

"File  away  then;  I  hold  my  life  at  a 
price  just  at  present  and,  if  jou  don't 
want  too  big  a  margin  perhaps  we  may 
make  a  dicker,"  was  the  cool  reply. 
"What  do  you  requii'e  of  me?" 

"Simply  to  sign  this  {)aper,"  and  the 
chief  laid  before  the  young  scout  a  written 
sheet  with  the  top  half  turned  over  the 
lower  one,  thus  just  affording  space 
enough  lo  contain  a  .signature. 

Ringlets  had  no  doubt  that  a  skillTul 
ti-ap  of  some  kind  was  being  laid  for  him, 
put  he  had  no  idea  of  falling  into  it  thus 
easily. 

"Very  simple  I*admit,  sir  chief;  but  do 
you  expect  me  tositrn  that  paper  without 
first  learning  its  contents?" 

"I  certainly  do." 

"And  the  penalty  of  my  refusal?" 

"Is  death!" 

Young  Ringgold  could  nottuistake  the 
tone  in  which  this  was  uttered. 

But  he  reasoned  that  there  must  be 
some  way  out  of  this  difficulty  as   there 


24 


FARRAGUT'S,  SCOUT. 


had  been  out  of  so  many  others  he  iiad 
found  himself  in,  and  he  believed  he 
could  find  it  if  but  given  time. 

"But  what  is  the  nature  of  the  docu- 
ment? In  what  uiauner  does  it  concern 
me?  Surely  you  may  tell  me  this  much," 
replied  the'scout,  with  no  hope  of  a  satis- 
factory answer,  however. 

So,  imagine  his  surprise,  when  the 
masked  chief  answered,  with  an  air  of 
great  condescension: 

•'Yes;  1  think  I  may  tell  you  that 
much,  but  no  more.  The  fact  is,  this 
document  does  not  concern  you  anyways 
vitally.  It  is  simply  your  sworn  state- 
ment'that  a  certain  individual  is  entirely 
innocent  of  a  crime  he  is  at  present 
charged  with  committing." 

At  these  words  a  sudden  thought 
flashed  across  the  mind  of  the  captive 
scout. 

Here  was  the  first  connection  he  had 
yet  been  able  to  discover  between  the 
old  Jew,  Sheeny,  and  Red  Cutlass. 

He  placed  no  confidence  in  the  latter's 
words  as  above  given. 

More  likely,  he  thought,  the  paper 
would  be  used,  instead  of  proving  an- 
others  innocence,  to  prove  his  own  guilt, 
and  that,  too,  of  the  murder  of  Diamond 
Jack,  the  gambler. 

If  what  the  old  mftney-lender  had  said 
of  his  father's  will — and  he  had  no  cause 
to  doubt  it,  considering  his  past  wild 
ways — then  a  confession  of  murder  would 
oust  him  from  his  father's  fortune,  and 
.likely  leave  the  California  millions  open 
to  the  first  adventurer  powerful  enough 
to  force  his  claim. 

This  was  good  solid  reasoning,  though, 
of  course,  it  rested  wholly  upon  the  mere 
word  of  the  old  money-lender;  and  events 
seemed  to  be  shaping  themselves  to  point 
to  a  close  understanding  between  that 
personage  and  the  ex-corsair. 

Yet  he  might  possibly  be  mistaken  in 
the  nature  of  the  paper. 

He  resolved  to  risk  one  bold  move  for 
light  upon  the  subject,  so  he  asked: 

■'Pardon  the  implied  doubt  of  j'our 
word  by  the  question,  sir  chief;  but  is 
not  this  document  a  sworn  confession 
tliat  I  siiot  Diamond  Jack,  the  gambler, 
in  Fortune's  Hall,  some  time  ago''" 

If  a  bomb-shell  had  exploded  in  their 
midst,  the  four  masks  could  not  have 
evinced  mor.'    -".iuine  sijrprise. 

The  chief  ...luself  leaped  to  his  feet 
with  a  growl  that  resembled  that  of  a 
wolf,  and  Ringlets  knew  he  had  "hit  the 
nail  on  the  head." 

But  the  wily  mask  recovered  his  pres- 
ence of  mind  alm-^st  instantly,  and  with 
a  <lise<)ril;uit  laugh  replied: 

"  What  granny-goose  idea  have  you 
got  into  your  brain  now,   boy?    But  to 


satisfy  you  on  that  point  I  will  assure 
you  that  the  document  bears  not  the 
least  atom  upon  the  Diamond  Jack  af- 
fair." 

"Then  the  paper  could  be  no  use  to 
you,  for  that  is  the  only  crime  I  know  of 
any  one  being  mixed  up  in,  and  my  testi- 
mony could  not  be  of  any  weight  in  that 
instance,  for  1  know  not  who  shot  tlie 
gambler." 

"  Then  the  crime  in  question  has  evi- 
dently slif)ped  your  mind;  and  it  is  as 
well  so,  otherwise  you  could  afterward 
appear  and  swear  that  force  was  used  to 
get  your  testimony.  This  crime  was 
committed  long  ago." 

Ringlets  bowed  his  head  upon  thetalde 
and  thought  long  and  deeply — but  only 
'to  gain  more  time. 

True,  he  iiad  lived  a  fast,  reckless  life 
from  his  fifteenth  year:  he  had  runaway 
from  schf>ol  to  join  an  expedition  against 
gulf  smugglers;  he  had  fought  two  duels, 
one  with  a  wild  young  blade  whom  he 
had  wounded  and  afterward  established 
a  lasting  friendship  with,  and  the  other 
with  a  notorious^ desperado  whom  he  had 
killed,  and  had  Been  complimented  upon 
the  exploit  by  the  civil  authorities,  but 
no  deed  of  the  nature  hinted  at  by  the 
masked  chief  had  he  been  cognizant  of. 

Arrived  at  this  point  in  his  thoughts 
the  young  scout  was  interrupted  by  his 
captor  v.ith: 

"Well,  have  you  decided?  Not  that 
my  time  is  pressing  to  any  alarming  ex- 
tent, but  I  feel  a  strange  curiosity  to 
know  when  you  are  to  become  an  angel." 

"Then  if  you  have  so  much  time  at 
your  disposal,  suppose  you  divide  it  with 
me  a  bit,  and  give  me — say  twenty-four 
hours  in  which  to  decide,"  and  the  in- 
trepid scout  looked  up  as  smilingly  as 
though  the  answer  did  not  mean  life  or 
death  to  him. 

The  chief  seemed  to  search  the  young 
man's  face  for  some  explanation  to  his 
strange  demeanor,  but  after  a  moment 
he  replied:  • 

"  Very  well,  your  wish  shall  be  granted! 
We  will  leave  you  alone  until  the  ap- 
pointed time,  that  you  may  have  eveiy 
opportunity  of  digesting  the  question  in. 
hand;  but  remember  one  thing:  the  otily 
chance  for  you  to  escape  is  through  this 
one  door,  and  thatvwill  every  moment  be 
guarded  upon  the  outside  by  a  well- 
armed  man  with  orders  to  shoot  you  on 
sight." 

With  this  significant  statement  the 
four  masks  left  the  apartment,  and  the 
sharp  click  of  the  door  behind  them 
proved  to  the  young  scout  that  he  whs 
a  prisoner. 

Scarcely  had  the  footsteps  of  his  jailors 
become  silent   when  tb^  scou^    was    as 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


25 


busj'  as  his  manacles  would  admit  in 
taking  an  inventory  of  articles  to  be 
found  within  the  cabin. 

But  nothing  of  value  to  himself  could 
be  found. 

Next   he   turned  his  attention   to   the 

ingle  window  of  the  cabin,  but  he  soon 

f    iud  it  would  afford  no  means  of  e^c  ipe. 

.it  last,  wearied  with  the  exertions  of 
the  night,  he  threw  himself  into  a  bunk 
and  slept  soundly  for  hours. 

And  no  wonder;  for  hardly  had  his 
regular  breathing  proclaimed  that  he  was 
bound  by  the  chains  of  Morpheus,  than 
a  tall  form  glided  into  the  room,  a  tiny 
vial  was  tilted  for  a  moment  above  his 
half-shut  lips — and  he  slept  on. 

When  at  last  the  young  scout  did  open 
his  eyes,  it  was  to  start  to  his  feet  with 
an  amazed  cry;  for  the  very  air  was 
rocking  and  quaking  with  the  boom  of 
cannon,  and  the  shriek  of  shells.  Farra- 
gut  was  passing  the  forts! 


CHAPTER  XV. 

RUIflfING  THE   GAUNTLET. 

April  24,  1862,  at  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  every  vessel  in  the  Union  fleet 
began  heaving  up  their  anchors. 

In  a  little  over  an  hour  Farragut's 
entire  fleet  had  successfully  passed  the 
forts  in  three  divisioni--. 

It  may  be  ^aid  that  tlie  palm  of  victory 
was  earned  by  Bailey'a  division  that 
night,  for  he  swept  everything  before 
him,  and  at  one  time  the  gunners  at  Fort 
St.  Philip,  who  had  worked  the  n)ost 
damaf^ej  to  the  Federal  fleet,  were  driven 
from  their  posts  by  the  double-shotted 
batteries  of  the  Pensacola. 

For  the  full  hour  which  had  been  con- 
sumed in  running  the  gauntlet  of  the 
forts.  Porter  had  kept  his  position  under 
the  guns  of  Jackson,  and  with  what  suc- 
cess is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  the  very 
thickest  cf  the  fight  the  Iroquois  passed 
v?ithin  one  hundred  and  fiftj'  feet  of  the 
fort  without  receiving  a  shot  from  its 
ruined  batteries. 

Five  regular  war-craft  of  the  enemy's 
fleet  were  still  afloat  above  the  forts,  and 
with  proper  maneuvering  they  would  be 
more  than  a  match  for  his  almost  defence- 
less steamer  . 

But  the  bold  naval  officer  had  pledged 
himself  to  the  undertaking,  and  he  re- 
solved to  capture  the  forts  or  sink  every 
plank  under  his  command. 

With  this  end  in  view  he  next  day  sent 
an  officer  under  a  flag-of-truce  to  call  on 
the  commanding  olficer  at  Fort  Jackson 
to  surrender  the  two  forts  and  the  re- 
mains of  the  Confederate  fleet  to  the 
United  States. 


The  answer  returned  by  General  Dun- 
can was,  that  he  must  decline  to  surren- 
der until  he  had  heard  from  New  Or- 
leans. 

Within  ten  minutes  after  le.arning  the 
Confederate  general's  decision.  Porter 
had  recommenced  the  bombardment  of 
Fort  Jackson,  had  sent  six  mortar 
schooners  around  the  bar  with  orders  to 
attack  the  fort  in  the  rear,  and  on  the 
27th  he  began  to  land  troops  close  to  St. 
Philip. 

■  This,  the  Confederate  commander  con- 
cluded, was  carrying  the  thing  too  far, 
and  at  midnight  of  the  28th  Duncan  seiVt 
an  officer  aboard  Porter's  flag-ship,  inti- 
mating liis  readiness  to  capitulate. 

Next  day  Porter  steamed  up  to  Fort 
Jackson,  with  nine  gun-boats,  under 
flag-of-truce,  and  received  the  Confeder- 
ate officers  on  board  the  Harriet  hfine. 

The  Federal  commander  had  already 
prepared  terms  of  capitulation,  but  at 
the  last  moment  a  difficulty  arose,  by  tj^e 
Confederates  refusing  to  sign  the  surren- 
der of  the  fleet,  affirming  they  had  no 
authority  over  that  portion  of  the   force. 

After  some  discussion,  Porter,  who  had 
secretly  resolved  to  force  the  surrender 
of  the  gun-boats  in  a  maiinpi-  they  would 
not  like  the  mou)ent  he  gained  control  of 
the  forts,  waived  the  point,  and  the  busi- 
ness of  signing  the  terms  of  capitulation 
was  resumed. 

Nearly  all  the  Federal  officers  liad 
signed  the  paper,  and  Lieutenant  Wain- 
right  of  the  Harriet  Lane  was  about  to 
do  so,  when  ayoungujan,  one  with  whom 
we  have  met  before,  hurriedly  entered 
the  cabin. 

Saluting,  he  said,  in  a  tone  of  sup- 
pressed excitement: 

"  One  moment,  lieutenant." 

"What  is  it,  Qnirknall?" 

"The  ironclad  Louisiana,  is  drifting 
down  upon  us  and  liable  to  blow  up  at 
any  minute,  as  she  is  flaming  from  stem 
to  stern." 

It  was  a  terrible  danger  certainly,  but 
Commander  Porter  never  changed  a 
muscle — simply  pushed  the  paper  over 
with  a  firm  hand  for  the  Confederates  to 
sign,  saying: 

"This  is  sharp  practice,  but  we  can 
stand  it  if  you  can." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

AN   ESCAPE   AND   CAPTURE. 

And  all  thiough  the  thunder  and  crash 
of  the  fierce  fight.  Ringlets,  with  his  face 
thrust  into  the  small,  round  aperture 
that  answered  for  a  window  to  the  cabin, 
watched  the  strange  scene.        • 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  night 


2« 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


was,  although  at  first  clear,  now  made 
aliiiost  impenetrable  to  the  sight  by  the 
clouds  and  niountains  of  smoke  that 
rolled  out  froiu  the  combined  Federal 
and  Confederate  batteries,  uuiuberiug 
nearly  three  hundred  and  fifty  guns,  and 
only  "relieved  by  the  spiteful  flashes  of 
tiiecannon,  andthe  lurid  and  uncertain 
]igl)t  from  the  fire-rafts. 

Ic  was  a  terrible,  yet  fascinating  sight, 
antl  one  who  never  witnessed  a  battle 
with  cannon  can  have  but  small  concep- 
tion of  the  awful  grandeur  of  the  scene. 

To  say  that  the  scout  longed  for  his 
liberty  just  then  would  be  putting  it 
mildly,  and  once  when  he  saw  the  flag- 
officier's  ship  in  flames  on  one  side,  and 
the  terrible  batteries  of  St.  Philip  being 
poured  into  her  devoted  hull  from  the 
other,  he  fairly  tore  at  the  casing  of  the 
dead-light  with  his  bare  hands  in  his 
eagerness  to  be  present  at  the  fight. 

The  schooner  upon  which  he  was  held 
captive  had  been  run  into  a  tiny  back- 
set above  the  forts,  and  there  lay  unmo- 
lested in  the  darkness  all  through  the 
fight. 

Upon  two  different  occasions  Federal 
vessels  had  passed  within  hailing  dis- 
tance of  him,  but  shout  as  loudly  as  he 
might,  no  notice  was  taken  of  him  or  the 
half-concealed  craft  of  which  he  was  the 
occupant. 

He  wondered  where  his  jailers  could 
be. 

He  had  seen  nothing  of  them  since  the 
moment  they  had  left  him  alone  to  count 
the  moments  he  had  to  live,  and  he  little 
thought  he  had  been  lying  in  a  deep 
drugged  sleep  for  nearly  three  days  and 
nights. 

The  young  scout  watched  the  fight 
until  the  last  shot  had  been  fired  by  the 
third  division  of  the  line,  then  gave  vent 
1o  his  feelings  by  a  ringing  whoop  of  satis 
faction,  and  was  about  to  follow  it  with 
a  true  Union  cheer,  when  the  cabin  door 
was  flung  open  precipitately,  ami  a  rough 
voice  demanded: 

"  Here,  what  is  tliis  infernal  racket 
for?  One  more  yell  like  that  and  you 
will  be  food  for  the  fislies." 

Ringlets  wheeled  quickly  and  stood 
fact:"  to  face  witli  the  masked  chief. 

It  was  plainly  evident  that  the  ex-cor- 
sair, if  such  he  really  was,  was  in  an  uglj' 
frame  of  mind;  but  not  in  the  least 
daunteti  by  the  threat,  the  scout  prompt- 
ly returned:      , 

"So  you  have  got  tired  of  noise,  eh? 
Well,  I  had  an  idea  that  Farragut  would 
give  you  enough  of  it  when  he  com- 
menced." 

"  To  Hades  with  Farragut  and  all  his 
imps!" 

"Oh,    no;  only    to   New    Orleans— and 


there  is  where  he  will   be   before   night, 
and  in  possession  of  the  city." 

"  He  hasn't  passed  Chalmette  yet,  and 
before  he  runs  those  batteries  he'll  wish 
he  was  outside  of  Pilot  Town.  But 
enough  of  this.  Here  is  food — eat,  for  it 
will  in  all  likelihood  be  your  last  meal," 
and  motioning  to  the  tray  he  had  placed 
upon  a  small  table,  the  chief  turned  upon 
his  heel,  and  left  the  cabin. 
'  The  scout  was  almost  famished, 
strangely  he  thought,  not  knowing  that 
it  was  d;iys  instead  of  hour.s  since  he  had 
broken  fast. 

But  instead  of  proceeding  to  devour 
the  substantial  repast  before  him,  the 
young  man  picked  up  the  knife  accom- 
panying it,  and  proceeded  to  make  a 
careful  examination  of  the  food. 

He  could  scarcelj'  resist  carrying  the 
particles  of  food  to  his  mouth  as  he 
picked  them  up  and  examined  them  with 
the  greatest  care. 

And  soon  he  was  rewarded  for  his 
trouble  and  perseverance. 

Before  he  had  examined  a  single 
mouthful  of  the  food,  he  came  upon  a 
tiny  particle  of  some  substance  resem- 
bling crystal. 

From  the  words  and  manner  of  the 
masked  chief  he  had  suspicioned  that 
there  was  a  plot  on  foot  to  destroy  him 
at  once. 

And  now  he  was  positive  that  such 
was  the  fact,  for  he  recognized  in  the 
crystal  a  particle  of  strychnine. 

Without  doubt  his  enemies  were  at 
work  with  a  vengeance. 

Suddenly,  as  he  sat  gazing  at  the 
deady  atom  upon  the  point  of  the  heavy 
knife,  a  thought  flashed  across  his  mind 
that  at  once  filled  him  \yith  hope. 

If  the  wide  casing  of  the  cabin  dead- 
light were  removed,  he  could  easily  force 
his  way  through  the  aperture  and 
escape. 

And  with  the  stout  blade  before  him, 
he  believed  he  could  accomplish  the 
task. 

At  once  he  set  about  the  work,  and  in 
less  than  an  hour  the  eight-inch  casing 
was  removed  and  his  way  was  clear  for 
escape. 

True,  he  must  swim  some  twelve  feet 
with  his  hands  confined  in  front  of  him 
to  reach  the  bushy  bank,  but  he  felt  con- 
fident he  could  do  it. 

Pushing  the  table  beneath  the  window 
he  mounted  it,  and  thrust  his  feet 
through  the  opening  with  considerable 
difficulty. 

But  nothing  daunted  he  kept  on,  ana 
though  at  every  moment  expecting  to 
hear  the  crack  of  a  musket,  and  feel  f^)** 
sting  of  a  bullet,  he  was  soon  hanging 
outside  th.e  window. 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


27 


Jus't  as  the  scout  was  prepared  to  drop 
into  the  muddy  current  surging  beneath 
l)iui,  he  detected  the  rush  of  a  bout  near 
him,  and  the  next  moment  he  felt  him- 
self seized  about  the  waist,  while  a 
strangely  familiar  voice  breathed  close  to 
his  ear: 

"Dot  ish  rij^hdt,  mine  schild;  schust 
let  K*->  your  holdt^und  your  oldt  unkle 
v]ll  dake  gare  ouf  you." 

So  amazed  was  the  youth  at  the  sound 
of  that  voice  that  he  could  not  have  sus- 
tui:;ed  his  hold  had  he  so  wished. 

And  lie  was  still  almost  beyond  the 
capabilit}'  of  speech  when  he  found  him- 
self seated  upon  tbe  stern-thwart  of  a 
small  skiff,  face  to  face  with  the  speaker 
— Sheeny,  the  Jew  money-lender. 

The  Jew  seized  a  pair  of  oars,  and  sent 
the  skili"  swiftly/  on  up  the  narrow  bayou, 
in  tlie  mouth  of  which  was  anchored  Red 
Cutlass'  schooner. 

"Youvas  surbrised  do  see  your  oldt 
unkle  here,  und  in  such  a  dimes,  liein?" 
questioned  the  old  Jew,  as  the  skiff  shot 
round  a  turn  in  the  sluggish  bayou,  and 
passed  from  sight  of  the  schooner.  "Yell, 
1  dells  you  how  she  happens  purty 
quvick,"  he  went  on,  without  waiting  for 
a  reply,  but  bringing  the  skiff  to  astand- 
.>till  in  midsti-eam.  "You  see  I  vas  al 
mo;^t  vorried  to  det  apoudt  dot  misunder- 
schiiiding  vich  ogurred  dere  on  poard  der 
Cray  Gull  dot  night." 

"So  that  is  what  you  call  a  misunder 
>tanding,  ehV"  the  scout  managed  to  find 
voi-e  to  ask. 

"Yaw,  dot  vas  vone  sadt  misdakes  dot 
you  made  dot  night.  Vy,  you  couldt 
nodt  haf  drust  your  oldt  unkle  more  as 
dot,  mine  sons?  Haf  I  nodt  ledt  you  haf 
uioiii.sh  by  der  hundrets  ouf  toUars  mit- 
Diuir  .^egurities  ven  you  vos  Iiardt  oup? 
Uudt  afder  dot  to  you  sub«.iose  dot  I  vill 
liaf  haruul  you  or  der  simble  Devon? 
Nefn,  mine  schild,  nein.  1  vos  efer  vork- 
iiig  tor  your  goodt,  as  I  gan  easilj'  sadisfj'^ 
you." 

"Glad  to  hear  it,  old  man,  and  the 
quicker  you  do  it  the  quicker  I  shall  ask 
your  pardon  for  leaving  the  Gray  Gull  so 
unceremoniously  that  night,"  replied  the 
scout  ill  a  doubting  tone. 

"Ah,  mine  schild,  1  see  dot  you  vos 
nodt  pelieves  me.  put  I  vill  prove  dot  1 
am  your  friendt." 

"All  right  I  am  listening  with  both 
ears. " 

"  Veil,  in  de  verst  blaee,  vot  you  dinks 
I  v^os  gedt  vou  uudt  Devon  apoard  ther 
Gray  Gull  "for?" 

"lam  impressed  with  tlie  idefi  tliat 
you  did  it  just  for  a  kind  of  little  joke." 

"Y'ou  vos  facetious,  mine  schild;  put  I 
dells  you:  It  vos  do  keep  you  oudt  ouf 
Jer  power  ouf  Red  Cudlass,  der  birate." 


Ringlets  could  not  resist  a  start  of  sur- 
prise, but  before  he  could  speak  the  Jew 
resumed: 

"  All  dis  I  sliould  haf  dole  you,  if  you 
hadt  uudt  kigdt  oop  sueli  a  row;  for  I 
know  der  whole  .sdory  ouft  your  mud- 
der's  life,  and  lier  lation  do  Red  Cudlass." 

"  Y'ou  know  that?    Then  tell " 

"Batience,  mine  sons,  batience.  I  gets 
do  dot  dii-ecktly.  Now,  lisden.  Red 
Cudlass  is  der  chief  ouf  a  bowerful  bandt 
ouf  oudlaws  and  smugglers,  most  ouf 
whom  are  der  remains  ouf  his  oldt  birate 
crew.  He  has  sware  «io  haf  de  millions 
dot  your  fader  left,  und  to  dot  end  he  has 
been  plotting  for  do  years.  Adt  vone 
ditne  1  vas  an  innocent  accessory  do  his 
scheme,  budt  disgovering  dot  he  vas 
dryin'  do  vork  der  ruin  ouf  der  fader  ouf 
my  friendt  und  best  gustomer  I  left  him. 
Now,  I  liaf  discover  der  identity  ouf  der 
man  Red  Cudlass,  und  know  all  his  blaus. 
I  haf  been  on  his  drail  since  you  left  me, 
for  1  knew  he  vould  find  you,  and  now 
I  vill  dakes  you  righdt  off  do  a  blace  ouf 
safety,  und  help  you  pring  liim  do  justice 
on  one  gondition." 

"And  what  is  that  ?" 

"  I  dells  you.  Monish  is  my  god,  und  I 
lif  only  for  dat.  Make  your  vill  in  my 
favor,  so  dot  if  any  dings  happen  do  you 
I  vill  get  der  Ringgoldt  millions,  undt  I 
swear  do  help  pring  your  fader's  mur- 
derers to  der  gallows."' 

A  cold  chill  crept  up  the  young  scout's 
back. 

He  siiw  through  the  whole  diabolical 
plot  in  an  instant. 

With  his  will  made  in  the  Jev/'s  favor, 
lie  woidd  at  once  be  Ivuocked  into  the 
river;  but  he  wondered  tliat  they  had 
attempted  working  such  a  transparent 
trick. 

The  skiff  was  being  slowly  worked  to- 
ward the  bushy  shore  by  the  Jew,  but 
Ringlets  noticedit  not. 

"Veil,  vot  you  do  aboudt  it?" 

"ThisI"  cried  the  scout,  as  he  sprung 
to  his  feet  and  gave  the  old  money-lender 
a  vicious  kick  in  the  stomacli. 

But  befv^ie  he  could  follow  up  his  ad- 
vantage by  escaping,  a  half-dozen  cloaked 
and  masked  figures  sprung  from  con- 
cealment in  the  bush  on  shore,  and  be- 
gan raining  upon  him  blow  after  blow 
with  short  bludgeons. 

The  last  he  I'emembered  was  liearing 
in  tlie  hPvrsh  tones  of  Red  Cutlass  a  com- 
mand to  the  men  to  spare  his  hfe. 

Then  hp  became  unconscious. 


When  next  the  scout  opened  liis  eyes 
he  bailed  to  recognize  his  surroundings. 

He  seemed  to  be  afloat,  yet  tiiere  was 
no  sound  of  working  machinery,  or  lap  of 


28 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


a  current,  though  the  apartment  he  was 
in  seemed  filled  with  an  intense  heat. 

Tlien  a  new  sound  struck  his  liearing. 

It  was  the  sound  of  crackhng  flames. 

He  sprung  to  his  feet  in  alarm,  only  to 
cry  aloud  with  pain,  for  it  seemed  that 
every  bone  in  his  body  was  broken. 

And  now,  by  a  faint  glow  which  per- 
meated the  place,  he  recognized  the  fact 
that  he  was  aboard  a  warship  of  some 
kind. 

A  sliding  door  near  attracted  his  at- 
tention, and  reaching  it  with  difficulty  he 
opened  it  and  glanced  tl) rough. 

And  such  a  sight  as  met  his  gaze. 

A  perfect  sea  of  fire!  and  beyond — but 
a  few  rods  down  stream — the  anchored 
flotilla  of  Admiral  Porter. 

And  what  was  that?  Just  beyond  the 
line  of  fire  a  powder  keg — two— three  of 
them,  piled  one  upon  another. 

In  an  instant  he  realized  the  situation. 

It  seemed  that  a  merciful  Providence 
had  wakened  him  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
saving  the  Federal  fleet. 

A  rope  lay  near.  Gathering  it  into  a 
coil,  he  swung  his  stiffened  arms  for  a 
moment  to  and  fro,  then  sent  the  line 
whirling  at  the  casks. 

It  settled  over  them.  A  porthole  was 
near;  with  all  the  force  he  could  summon 
the  scout  sprung  through  it,  carrying  an 
end  of  the  rope  with  him. 

AVhat  followed  we  have  seen  in  chapter 
fifteen.  A  terrible  explosion  followed, 
and  the  Confederate  iron-clad  Louisiana 
was  a  thing  to  be  dreaded  no  moie. 

Ringlets  felt  an  awful  shock  —  it 
seemed  as  thougli  years  had  passed,  then 
an  arm  was  thrown  about  him,  and  he 
saw  Quirknall  bending  over  him — and  he 
knew  no  more. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE   SPY. 

After  running  the  gauntlet  of  the  forts, 
with  a  casualty  of  only  thirty-five  killed 
and  one  iiundred  and  twenty-eight 
wounded,  Farragut  pushed  on  up  the 
river,  reduced  the  heavy  Chalmette  bat- 
teries witn  but-  little  trouble,  glided 
slowly,  silently  around  Slaughter-house 
Point,  and  with  leveled  batteries  an- 
chored before  New  Orleans. 

And  what  a  scene  here  met  the  ej'es  of 
the  battle-scarred  veterans  of  the  Union 
fl-eet! 

The  wharves  and  levees  one  mass  of 
flame;  and  beyond,  a  dense  mob  of  shout- 
ing, jeering  Creole  fanaticsmingling  with 
the  whole  rifl-raflf  of  the  great  Southern 
city. 

No  order  or  discipline  was  attempted 
by  the  enraged  mob,  for  already  hnd  the 
handsome,  dashing  Major-Gener;il  L')vell 


withdrawn  from  the  city,  leaving  it  again 
under  civil  law. 

But  notwithstanding  the  mad  crowds 
that  swarmed  the  river  front,  early  in  the 
afternoon  two  officers  landed  upon  the 
ruined  levee,  and  with  the  howling  mob 
at  their  heels  marched  vvith  perfect  step, 
and  with  eyes  looking  sti'aight  ahead,  to 
the  city  hall  to  demarid  the  town's  sur- 
render. 

The  two  officers  who  accomplished  this 
desperate  and  perilous  task  were  Captain 
—  afterward  rear-admiral  —  Theodorus 
Bailey,  of  Farragut's  first  division  of  gun 
boats,  and  Lieutenant  George  Perkins, 
U.  S.  N. 

Both  naval  and  military  authorities 
have  declared  it  one  of  the  most  daring 
exploits  in  the  annals  of  the  campaign. 

Later,  theflagof  Louisiana  was  lowered 
from  the  city  hall  flag-staff,  but  not   by^ 
Southern  hands. 

An  officer  from  the  fleet  did  that, 
guarded  by  a  body  of  marines  with  fixed 
bayonets,  and  with  a  brace  of  howitzers 
trained  upon  the  crowd. 

But  other  scenes  must  now  claim  our 
attention. 

As  Captain  Bell,  U.  S.  N.,  with  the 
Confederate  flag  under  his  arm  and  the 
howitzers  rumbling  along  at  his  heels, 
marched  stilfiy  down  the  street,  a  heavi- 
ly-built, foreign-appearing  man  with 
huge  mustache,  cloak  and  low-drawn 
cocked  hat,  who  had  stood  an  interested 
but  silent  spectator  to  the  scene,  begun 
to  elbow  his  way  out  of  the  shouting 
crowd,  moving  toward  the  lower  quarters 
of  the  city. 

He  had  just  managed  to  escape  from 
the  crush  when  he  detected  a  slight, 
girlish  figure  stealing  along  the  opposite 
side  of  Uie  street  with,  as  he  imagined, 
an  attempt  to  elude  his  notice. 

In    a    mou}ent    she    had    disappeared' 
around  a  neighboring  corner. 

With  a  nod  of  satisfaction  the  foreigner 
muttered: 

"'Tis  she,  by  St.  Jago!  Now  for  a. 
little  transformation,  and  to  see  if  she 
can  again  elude  El  Moreau,  the  spy  of 
Paris.'' 

Before  the  words  were  scarcely  out  of 
his  mouth,  the  spy,  by  a  dozen  deft 
motions,  had  doffed  the  close-fitting 
jacket  he  wore,  turning  it  inside  out  and 
again  donning  it — an  apparently  totally 
different  garment — had  pulled  up  the 
cunningly-folded  tops  of  his  gaiters  until 
they  resembled  a  pair  of  close-fitting 
cavalry  boots,  and  had  manipulated  his 
cocked  hat  into  a  sombrero  of  rather 
battered  appearance. 

Evidently  the  self-confessed  spy  was 
well  prepared  for  an  emergency  of  this 
kind. 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


29 


As  he  turned  the  corner  he  discovered 
the  young  girl  speeding  swiftly  down  the 
street  some  little  distance  in  advance; 
but  confident  in  his  deep  disguise  he 
hurried  after  her. 

The  young  girl  looked  back  directly, 
but  failing  to  recognize  in  the  rakish- 
looking  figure  in  her  wake  any  she  had 
ever  before  seen,  she  breathed  a  sigh  of 
thankfulness,  muttering: 

"Ah!  Santa  Maria  be  thanked;  he  did 
not  see  nie  and  I  have  escaped  his  espion- 
age once  more.  Who  can  he  be,  with 
his  tierce  black  ej'es,  and  his  tireless  at- 
tempts to  follow  me  to  my  home?" 

At  this  moment  the  Spanish  girl  had 
reached  her  destination,  a  dilapidated 
wooden  structure,  cut  off  from  the  neigh- 
boring buildings  by  a  narrow  ally  upon 
either  side. 

Mounting  the  low,  wooden  stoop  of  the 
house,  the  girl  entered  without  ringing, 
just  as  the  spy  rounded   the  near  corner. 

As  the  girl  disappeared  from  his  view 
the  man  muttered,  almost  fiercely: 

"Fool!  Fool  that  I  have  been  to  be 
again  afid  again  tricked  by  this  little 
wench  in  this  transparent  manner!  Here 
I  have  been  keeping  uninterrupted 
watch  upon  those  alleys  for  weeks,  and 
I  dare  say  the  girl  never  so  much  as  en- 
tered either  of  them;  or  if  she  did  it  was 
to  gain  access  to  the  house  by  the  base- 
ment. Ha!  A  good  idea.  I  will  enter 
by  the  basement  also." 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  the  spy 
sprung  hurriedly  to  the  basement  door 
(which  is  ever  built  above  ground  in  the 
Crescent  City),  and  was  soon  inside  the 
house. 

In  the  meantime  the  young  girl  had 
changed  her  outer  clothing,  for  it  had 
been  raining  outside,  and  had  entered  a 
small,  plain  room  containing  a  single 
occupant.  ^ 

This  was  a  gray-haired  and  withered 
old  man,  and  unmistakably  a  Spaniard. 

When  the  young  girl  entered  the 
apartment  she  sprung  to  the  old  man's 
chair,  and  sinking  upon  her  knees,  she 
cried  in  Spanish: 

"Oh,  uncle,  uncle,  what  is  to  become 
of  us?" 

"  What  has  happened,  my  child,  to  ex- 
cite you  so?"  asked  the  gray-beard, 
without  lifting  his  withered  hands  from 
his  lap,  for  he  was  a  hopeless  paralytic. 
"  Has  the  man  attempted  to  follow  you 
again?" 

"Oh,  no,  not  that;  but  the  war-ships 
of  the  fierce  Noi-therners  are  anchored 
before  the  city,  and  the  terrible  blue-clad 
men  are  all  over  the  town.  Do  you  sup- 
pose they  will  kill  us  all,  uncle?" 
The  old  man  bareU'  repressed  a  smile. 
"Fear   nothing,    my  child;    j-ou    have 


only  heard  of  these  Northern  soldiers  from 
the  lips  of  the  fanatics  around  us;  and 
instead  of  being  the  bloodthirsty  des- 
peradoes you  have  been  taught  to  be- 
lieve, the  boys  in  blue  have  the  kindest 
hearts  of  any  soldiers  in  the  world,  though 
they  fight  like  demons  when  in  the  heat 
of  battle.  We  shall  not  be  molested, 
caro  mio!  But  you  say  you  did  not  see 
the  man?" 

"Yes,  I  saw  him,  but  hurried  past 
upon  the  other  side  of  the  way,  and  so 
escaped  his  glances." 

"  It  is  well.  For  if,  as  I  firmly  believe 
he^is,  a  spy  in  Gascon's  employ,  and 
should  learn  our  abiding-place  we  shall 
be  undone." 

"But  tell  me,  who  is  Gascon?  You 
promised  soon  to  tell  me." 

The  old  man  seenltd  to  be  thinking 
deeply  for  some  moments,  and  finally  he 
replied: 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  tell  you 
all,  my  child,  though  I  hoped  to  keep 
the  shadow  from  your  life  forever.  But 
the  spy  has  evidentlj'  recognized  in  you 
one  of  the  Campia  blood,  from  the  strong 
family  likeness  you  bear,  so  I  will  put 
you  upon  your  guard.  Now  for  the  story: 
You  must  know,  my  child,  that  I  am  the 
eldest  of  three  brothers,  Cubans  by  birth, 
and  bearing  the  name  and  title  of 
Campia.  We  were  known  as  Bertano, 
Moreau,  and  Gascon — — "' 

"Ah!     Then " 

"Yes,  Gascon  was  the  youngest; a  wild, 
fierce  lad  from  his  youth  up,  and  for 
killing  a  high  Spanish  official  over  a 
game  of  cards,  he  was  forced  to  fly  the 
country  and  become  a  pirate.  By  virtue 
of  our  oflBcial  capacities  your  uncle 
Moreau  and  I  were  forced  to  attempt  the 
capture  of  our  outlawed  brother,  and 
learning  the  fact,  Gascon  swore  to  be 
revenged  upon  us.  A  year  later  my 
young  child,  a  daughter,  was  stolen— 
by  Gascon.  A  few  months  later  I  was 
shot  from  my  horse  in  one  of  the  desperate 
quarters  of  Havana — by  Gascon.  Then 
brother  Moreau  was  convicted  of  treason 
through  a  diabolical  plot  hatched  by 
Gascon.  And  Gascon  was — Retl  Cutlass, 
the  Corsair.  Moreau  escaped  to  a 
foreign  country,  leaving  you,  his  infant 
daughter  in  my  care,  and  he  is  now " 

"  Here!"  uttered  a  deep  voice  behind 
them  at  that  instant. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   spy's  story. 

Tne  old  man  struggled  desperately  to 
rise,  but  his  unnatural  brother's  shot, 
long  ago,  had  ujade  him  helpless,  and  he 
sunk  back  CAhausted. 


20 


FARRAGUT'S  SCOUT. 


But  with  a  low  cry  of  fear  the  young 
o-irl,  Arta,  sprmif?  to  her  feet,  jrasping: 

••Oh,  heavenJ     'Tis  he— the  nian!" 

Aik)  then  she  gave  rent  to  a  terrified 
sliriek  as  the  spy  sprung  forvvaid  and 
^'rasped  her  tightly  in  his  arms. 

And  tlien  a  strange  event  occurred. 

Tlie  tiery  otd  Spaniard,  Bertano,  but  a 
nioiaent  before  a  iielpless  paralytic,  sud- 
denly leaped  to  his  feet,  and  with  an 
almost  inarticu-late  cry.  of  joy  tottered 
forward  and  clasped  both  the  stranger 
and  Tlie  young  girl  in  his  withered  arms. 

'•Moreau!  Moreau!  It  is  Moi-eau  at 
last!  It  is  your  father,  child.  Do'you 
not  recognize  him  by  instinct,  if  not  by 
.sight?"  cried  the  ofd  man.  now  almost 
povverless  again  with  an  overpowering 
emotion. 

But  insomuch  as,  in  his  wild  and  unex- 
pected rush,  the  old  man  had  jammed  the 
stranger's  hat  completely  over  his  face,  it 
is  doubtful  if  the  spy's  best  friend  could 
iiave  recognized  him,  juuch  less  the 
startled  girl  who  had  never  seen  him  ex- 
cept at  a  distance. 

And  then  explanations  were  the  order 
of  the  hour;  for,  when  the  spy  had  re- 
moved the  drooping  hat,  and  had  thrown 
back  the  disguising  folds  of  the  cloak, 
disclosing  his  handsome  dark  face  tliat 
almost  gave  the  lie  to  the  cold,  hard  eyes 
a|)ove,  the  young  girl  utterly  forgot  her 
former  prejudices,  and  clung  fondly  to 
his  neck  wliile  he  recounted  the  story  of 
his  life. 

"  You  are  a  mascot,  Moreau,  a  mascot. 
For  see,  I  can  walk  again  as  of  yore," 
cried  the  old  man,  again  leaving  his 
cliair,  and  taking  two  or  three  turns, 
though  with  tottering  steps,  across  the 
Hoor.  "But  there!  Speak,  for  I  am  dy- 
ing to  hear  where  j'ou  have  been  and 
how  you  came  to  finil  us." 

"  It  is  more  easy  to  tell  the  storj'  of  my 
life  since  1  left  Cuba,  thaii  it  has  been  to 
live  it,"  replied  the  sp\',  but  in  a  glad 
tone,  as  he  drew  his  new-found  daughter 
closer  upon  his  lap.  "When  I  escaped 
from  the  Spanish  authorities,  witli  your 
help,  I  made  direct  for  France,  where, 
by  a  quick  succession  of  lucky  strokes,  I 
was  elevated  to  a  high  standing  in  the 
Paris  detective-poli.oe.  force.  It  was  at 
this  time,  and  some  ten  years  ago,  that 
Parisian  society  was  shocked  with  the 
discovery  that  one  of  its  most  noted 
members,  the  Count  of  Bella  Ponta,  a 
Spanish  grandee,  was  a  fraud,  a  cheat, 
and  a  swindler,  and  that  he  had  disap- 
peared with  live  hundred  thousand 
francs  of  government  funds.  The  case 
was  laid  before  our  department,  ai'd  an 
investigation  of  the  man's  pedigree  was 
instituted.  At  the  time  I  was  out  of  the 
city,  but  being  quickly  recalled  to  direct 


the  hunt,  what  was  my  amazement  upon 
beholding  the  photograph  of  the  great 
criminal  to  recognize  in  him  none 
other  than  Gascon,  once  known  upon 
the  Spanish-  Main  as  Red  Cutlass,  the 
Corsair.  Without  making  known  my 
startling  discovery  to  my  confreres,  1 
obtained  authority  to  prosecute  the 
search  for  the  criminal  alone  and  in  my 
own  way,  and  I  am  upon  the  trail  j'et." 

"  Then  he  has  escaped  you?" 

"Yes,  many  times,  when  I  all  but  had 
my  hand  upon  him;  but  now  I  have  him 
'on  the  hip,'  as  the  Americans  say." 

"  Then  yon  know  his  whereabouts?" 
questioned  the  interested  Bertano. 

"I  do;  but  that  is  not  the  best  of  the 
facts  I  have  established.  I  have  learned 
the  fate  of  your  drtughter." 

The  old  man  bowed  his  face  in  his 
hands  and  almost  inaudibly  whispered: 

"  He  killed  her?" 

"  Yes  and  no,"  replied  the  sp}\  "  She 
died,  although  she  left  a  son  behind." 

"  Where  is  this  son?  Who  is  he?  What 
is  his  name?"  demanded  old.  Bertano 
excitedly. 

"  I  know  not  his  whereabouts  just  at 
present,  but  he  is  known  as  Ringlets,  or 
more  proi>erly  Ralph  Ringgold." 

At  this  name  both  the  spy's  auditors 
uttered  cries  of  amazement. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   LAST   OP  THE   BRAND. 

In  his  little  dingy  ofBce  on  Tchoupitou- 
las  Street  (once  teeming  with  the  life  of 
speculation,  but  now  all  but  deserted),  at 
a  high  desk,  sat  Sheeny,  the  Jew  money- 
lender. 

A  dozen  or  so  papers  lay  scattered  out 
before  him. 

PicJving  up  one  he  began  studying  it 
carefully. 

"■Good!  Excellent!  It  could  be  no  bet- 
ter! Tlie  first  will  made  by  his  father 
particularly  directs  that  I  shall  hold  the 
Ringgold  millions  in  trust  until  satisfied 
that  the  lad  is  competent  to  manage 
them.  So  far,  so  good.  And  now  comes 
a.nother  will,  which  my  men  cai)tured  at 
the  same  time  they  captured  the  fool, 
Devon,  which  directs  that  the  entire 
fortune  go  to  the  lail  unconditionally. 
But  this  latter  will  will  be  ashes  in  a  few 
moments." 

He  held  the  paper  toward  a  candle  that 
burned  close  to  the  window  by  which 
his  desk  stood,  to  carry  out  his  sugges- 
tion. 

But  that  is  as  far  as  he  got. 

Just  as  the  paper  was  about  to  meet 
the  flame,  the  crack  of  a  pistol  came 
from  the  street,  a  crash  of  glass  followed, 


PARRAGUTS  SCOUT. 


51 


and  the  candle,  sttindiug  within  a  foot  of 
the  old  money-iender'»  head,  was  extin- 
guished. 

At  the  same  instant  a  naan  rushed  into 
the  office,  crying: 

".Are  you  hurt,,  sir?  Did  the  villain's 
bullet  hit  you?" 

But  receiving  no  answer  to  his  call,  the 
stranger  quickly  relighted  the  candle 
l^vliich  had  been  so  neatl}-  snuffed  by  tl)e 
luikuown  pistolist,  and  held  it  up  to  ex- 
.-nrine  the  Jew's  face,  at  the  aame  time 
deitly  possessing  himself  of*  the  partly 
scorched  "last  will." 

The  moment  the  light  was  reproduced 
the  Jew  seemed  to  rally  from  his  bewil- 
derment, for  he  sprung  from  his  seat  and 
began  searching  eagerlj-  for  some  object 
upon  the  desk  or  floor. 

"  What  have  you  lost,  sir?  Or  has  the 
assassin's  bullet  driven  you  crazy?"  de- 
manded the  stranger. 

"  The  paper,  the  paper!  "Where  could 
it  have  gone?  I  had  it  but  a  moment 
ago-' " 

"  Is  this  it?"  quietly  interpolated  the 
other,  holding  up  a  document  to  the 
Jew's  startled  gaze. 

"Yes,  yea!  It  ^is  the  identical  paper. 
G^ive  it  up  at  once!"  and  he  made  a  frantic 
attempt  to  snatch  the  paper  from  the 
stranger's  hands. 

But  he  made  a  terrible  failure. 

For  as  his  two  hands  were  extended  to 
grasp  the  sheet,  it  disappeared  as  if  by 
magic,  there  followed  a  siuirp  click,  and 
the  old  Jew  found  himself  a  prisoner. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  he  stormed 
wildly,  totally  forgetful  of  his  Jewish 
dialect.  "What  do — oh,  heavens,  is  it 
you?" 

The  Jew  fell  back  ijanting  for  breath, 
and  with  bulging  eyes;  for,  to  his  horror 
the  stranger  had  suddenly  jerked  from 
his  face  a  heavy  black  beard,  and  the 
Jew  almost  screamed: 

"Horeau!    You,  and  here  alive." 

"No  thanks  to  you,  Gascon  di  Campia, 
alias  Red  Cutlass,  alias  Count  of  Bella 
Ponta,  ahas  Sheen}',  the  Jew  money- 
lender, alias  Captain  Black  Jack,  the 
Smuggler,  and  only  your  master,  Satan, 
knows  what  else  you  are  alias  of.  But 
enough  that  you  are  discovered.  Here, 
take  this  pistol.  It  is  loaded.  I  will 
now  pass  outside;  and  I  give  j'ou  just 
one  minute  in  which  to  cheat  the  hang- 
man, and  save  the  name  of  Campia  from 
further  tarnish,  '  and  as  he  spoke  the  spy 
laid  a  pistol  upon  the  desk  and  passed 
from  the  oflBce. 

As  the  spy  reached  the  street  he  dis- 
covered close  at  hand,  and  moving  at  a 
quick  march,  a  small  squad   of  marines. 


led  bv  a  youthful  figure,  clad  in  a  blue 
uniform,  and  surrounding  a  dozen  rough, 
defiant-looking  fellows  that  were  chained 
together. 

As  the  squTMlcame  in  frontof  the  Jew's 
office,  the  youug  leader  uttered  a  sudden 
cry,  and  threw  himself  against  the  closed 
door,  for  there  had  rung  out  upon  tlie 
night  air  from  behind  that  door  the  crack 
of  a  pistol. 

Inside  was  discovered  the  Jew,  or 
rather  Red  Cutlass,  with  his  artificial 
Jewish  face  flung  aside,  lying  stretched 
upon  the  floor,  with  a  bullet  in  his  brain 
— dead.  ^ 

"Foiled!"  cried  Ringlets,  excitedlj',  as 
this  scene  met  his  gaze. 

"  It  is  better  so,"  returned  the  spy,  ad- 
vancing. "  But  follow  me  and  I  will  ex- 
plain." 

Without  a  word  Ringlets  followed  the 
stranger  to  a  house  he  had  often  before 
visited. 

It  need  scarcely  be  said  that  it  was  the 
house  of  Bertano  Campia,  the  Cuban; 
and  we  will  only  add  by  way  of  explana- 
tion that  young  Ringgold  and  the 
beautiful  Arta  had  been  lovers  for  nearly 
two  years,  with  old  Bertano's  consent, 
never  suspecting  they  were  related. 

The  whole  story  as  contained  in  these 
pages  was  again  told,  and  for  the  first 
time  Ralph  was  made  acquainted  with 
the  mystery  of  his  mothers  hfe. 

But  a  few  words  will  suffice  to  complete 
this  tale, 

Devon  was  found',  ai  prisoner  on,  the 
Guiy  Gull,  and  released". 

The  gang  we  have  seen  under  guard  of 
the  marines,  each  of  whom  had  the  brand 
of  Red  Cutlass  upon  his  arm,  had  been 
captured  by  Ringlets,  through  Argula, 
whom  he  caught  and  forced  to  betray 
his  companions.  They  were  executed 
for  piracy.  The  officers  of  the  Loui.^iana 
were  taken  prisoners  to  Fort  Warren, 
Boston,  but  when  the  whole  story  of  the 
ex-pirate  came  out  they  were  treated ^s 
ordinary  prisoners  of  war. 

The  F-eneh  government  was  reim- 
bursed for  the  stolen  fuiids,  but  Paris  lost 
her  most  cunning  spy. 

Ringlets  was  with  Farragut through  the 
whole  operations  of  the  "^Vestern  flotilla, 
and  mj-  only  regret  is  that  there  is  not 
space  here  to  recount  his  thrilling  ad- 
ventures before  Vicksburg. 

After  the  war  he  returned  to  the 
Ci'escent  City  to  claim  his  inheritance; 
and  to-day,  with  the  beautiful  Spanish 
girl  as  his  wife,  he  is  one  of  the  mo^t 
popular  millionaire  residents  of  iue 
Golden  State. 

THE    END. 


THE  GEM  LIBRARY 

Contains  the  best  stories  that  can  be  procured.  It  is  Original;  full  of  Thrill- 
ing Adventures  and  Stirring  Scenes.  It  contains  Detective  Stories,  War  Stories, 
Frontier  Stories,  Indian  Stories — all  by  the  best  American  authors. 

EVERY  BOOK  IS   OOJVIFEETE. 


CA-T^LOGTJE. 

, , . .  EARLE  LYKDON,  THE  SHADOW  ;  or,  Trailing  the  King  of  the  Smugglers.    By  Beau 

Brocade. 
.    . .  THE  SILENT  AVENGER  ;  or,  The  Fate  of  the  Crooked  Nine.     By  M.  Y.  Hand. 
....  JERRY,  THE  WEASEL  ;  or.  The  Boy  Spy's  Mission.     By  Louis  Bernard. 
. .  COOL  NED,  THE  CYCLONE ;  or,  ^The  Road  Agent's  Doom.     By  Ned  Buntling. 

HUMAN  WOLVES  :  or.  The  Boy  Ventriloquist.     By  Major  Downing. 

....  THE  TWINS'  STliUGGLES ;  or.  On  the  Roatl  to  Fortune.     By  Lieutenant  Atkinson. 
THE  CREOLE'S  TREACHERY;   or,  Titus   the  Scout's  Faithful  Servant.    By  T.  P. 

Johnson. 

RICK,  THE  WAIF ;  or.  The  Young  Fisherboy  Sleuth-hound.     By  T.  P.  James.      ' 

BURT,  THE  HERO  ;  or,  Adventures  of  a  Plucky  Boy.     By  James  Franklin  Fife. 

....  CAVALRY  CURT  ;  or,  The  Wizard  of  the  Army.  By  G.  Waldo  Browne. 
....  SAM,  THE  WHARF-RAT  ;  or.  Outwitted  by  a  Boy.  By  Louis  Bernard. 
LARKE,  THE  LAWYER  SHADOW  ;  or,  The  Haunted  Ranch  on  the  Prairie.    By  Beau 

Brocade. 
....  GIANT  PETE,  THE  TRAILER ;  or,  Saved  by  a  Miracle.    By  Colonel  Zuri. 

UNDER  TWO  FLAGS ;   or,  His  Life  for  His  Honor.     A  sequel  to  "  Cavalry  Curt."    By 

,i.-  G.  Waldo  Browne. 

:  ::l . .  MOLL,  THE  TIGRESS  ;  or,  Foiled  by  a  Boy  Detective.     By  Maior  A.  F.  Grant. 
•::..  TED,  THE  BANTAM  DETECTIVE  ;  or,  Downing  the  Sharpers.     By  George  B.  Lee. 
....  DICK,  T  iiE  BOY  ENGINEER  ;    or.  On  the  Right  Track.     By  W.  A.  Hick^on. 
....  THROUGH  THE  EARTH ;   or.  Mystery  of  an  Unknown  World.     By  Carl  C.  Buflum. 
....  ROSS,  THE  MIDDY  ;  or.  The  Secret  of  the  Cliff.     By  Mark  Frobisher. 
....  STEEL  GRIP,  THE  IN^^INCIBLE  ;  or.  Two  of  the  Finest.     By  Ned  Buntling. 
,...  DICK  DANFORTH,  the  LoyJl  Scout  of  Tennessee.     By  Major  A.  F.  Grant. 
....  MISSOURI  BILL'S  TRUST ;  or,  The  Young  Reporter  of  'Frisco.     By  T.  P.  James. 
....  CAPTAIN  JACK,  THE  UNION  SPY ;  or,  la  Vicksburg  and  Out.     By  Harold  T.  Gray. 
....  SHARP  HART  IN   ST.   LOUIS;    or,  Playing  for  Big   Stakes.      By   Major  Walter 

Downing. 

GEN.  DIXON'S  BOY  AIDE ;  or,  Ned  Tr inker  in  the  Army.    By  Lieut.  W.  Atkinson. 

....  MARK  LEMON,  THE  YOUNG  ENGINEER  ;  or.  True  Yankee  Grit.     By  T.  P.  James. 
....  I'ARRAGUT'S   SCOUT  RINGLETS  ;  or.   The  Brand  of  the  Mississippi.     By  Cal  De 

Castro. 
....  HARVEY  DAYRE,  THE  SPY ;  or,  Tracked  for  His  Life.     By  Major  A.  F.  Grant. 
.. . . .  AT  BAY  IN  A  CAVERN ;  or.  After  Big  Game.     By  Lieut.  W.  H.  Atkinson. 

BRUCE  HARDY  ON  DECK ;  or,  A  Hero  for  Uncle  Sam.     By  Morris  Redwing. 

LIEUT.  GEORGE  TRELLEN;  or,  A  Tricky  Union  Boy.     By  George  B.  Wilson. 

....  THE  GUNBOAT  BOYS ;  or,  Harry  and  Artie   Among    the   Guerrillas.      By  Arthur 

Rankin. 
....  CRAFTY  JACK  HARPER  ;  or,  A  Scout  That  Is  a  Scout.     By  T.  P.  James. 
....  SLIPPERY  MILT,  THE  SCOUT  ;  or,  Running  the  Gauntlet  of  Island  No.  10.     By  Lieut. 

Henrj'^  Downs. 
....  WALTER  COLLIER'S  PLUCK ;    or,  Down  the  Mississippi  in  a  Yacht.      By  W.  H. 

Atkinson. 

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